The Youth Alliance for Rural Development (YARD-Liberia) ~ a local civil society organization in Margibi ~ has strongly condemned the Firestone Liberia School System for violating national graduation standards, calling the institution’s recent actions a “betrayal of public trust.”
The condemnation follows the Ministry of Education’s decision to fine the school system LRD 500,000 after it was discovered that only 27 students from Firestone Senior High School met the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) requirements. However, during a graduation ceremony held on September 28, 2025, in Division #44, Harbel Hills, a total of 231 students were paraded as graduates.
Adding to the controversy, Firestone-Liberia’s General Manager publicly claimed during the ceremony that 98% of students had passed their exams ~ a statement the Ministry said sharply contradicts official exam results.
YARD-Liberia expressed concern over the event’s lack of transparency, noting the absence of traditional segments that include remarks from educational stakeholders. The omission, the organization argues, appears to be a deliberate attempt to prevent scrutiny.
“Graduating students who did not qualify is not just a violation of regulations ~ it is a betrayal of public trust,” YARD-Liberia stated. “When institutions exaggerate results and shut out education authorities from the process, it points to a cover-up. This practice cheats students, misleads parents, and undermines Liberia’s entire education system.”
While the youth-led advocacy group welcomed the Ministry’s punitive action, it emphasized that a fine alone is insufficient. YARD-Liberia is urging the Ministry to demand a public explanation from Firestone regarding the discrepancies between its public statements and the official academic records.
“The Firestone School System must be held accountable not just financially, but also publicly, for the misleading information and procedural violations,” the organization added.
YARD-Liberia further called on parents, communities, and civil society to remain vigilant and report any attempts to manipulate educational outcomes.
“Liberia’s children deserve genuine success, built on merit and integrity ~ not ceremonial shortcuts or manipulated statistics,” the group concluded.
Firestone Liberia School System has not issued a public response to the allegations or the Ministry’s fine as of press time
