Rev. Alphonso B. Korleh, a seasoned educator with over 20 years of experience, has raised the alarm over what he describes as a “broken and failed” education system in Liberia.
According to him, the sector is in a dire state, and without urgent reforms, the country faces devastating long-term consequences.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Verity on Monday, Rev. Korleh lamented that the majority of Liberian high school students are performing at an elementary level, a reality he finds both alarming and heartbreaking.
“Many of our high school students cannot meet even the most basic academic standards. Yes, there are a few who excel, but their successes are drowned by the overwhelming failure we see across the board,” Rev. Korleh said.
Calling teaching his divine calling, the veteran educator stated that his passion for the classroom is rooted in a desire to uplift Liberian youth through quality education.
“Teaching is my ministry. Jesus was a teacher, and I’ve followed that path because I believe knowledge is the most powerful currency we can give our children,” he explained.
When asked to rate the current state of Liberia’s education sector, Rev. Korleh didn’t mince words.
“Liberia is behind everybody that’s behind,” he declared. “If we don’t take urgent steps to address this mess, in five years the situation will become terrible. We will lose an entire generation.”
He placed collective responsibility on all Liberians, government, educators, parents, and students, urging them to acknowledge the crisis and work towards solutions.
Among the major issues he cited were poor learning facilities, unqualified teachers, and a lack of competent administrators.
“We have a huge gap in the system. The authorities are not being real about the problems. It’s all lip service,” he said. “We need to stop treating education like a political slogan and start acting like it’s the foundation of our nation’s future.”
Rev. Korleh also proposed a series of reforms, including robust monitoring and supervision mechanisms within the Ministry of Education to ensure accountability at all levels.
“There must be consequences for failure. We need a functional complaints department in the Ministry. When the education system makes mistakes, it doesn’t just fail students, it destroys destinies,” he warned.
As Liberia continues to grapple with widespread learning deficits and systemic challenges in its schools, Rev. Korleh’s voice joins a growing chorus of educators calling for sweeping reforms to salvage the nation’s educational future.
