By Matalay Kollie
Gbarnga, Bong County — On May 16, 2026, Liberia will host its first student-led chemistry symposium, bringing together about 750 students in an effort to make science learning more practical and engaging.
The event is being organized by chemistry teacher Adam J. Kallon of LAG Foundation High School and Paul A. Rader High School.
It will be held under the theme, “Applying Chemistry for Problem Solving, Innovation, and Sustainable Development,” in line with the Ministry of Education’s goals to strengthen hands-on learning and critical thinking in science classrooms.
Students from grades 10 to 12 will take the lead, presenting experiments and ideas that show how chemistry can be used to solve everyday problems.
Activities will include demonstrations on water purification using simple materials, testing acids and bases with natural indicators, producing gas through chemical reactions, and making soap through saponification.
There will also be presentations on how chemistry can support sustainable agriculture.
Some of the projects focus on practical solutions that communities can easily adopt.
For example, students will demonstrate how to filter water using gravel, sand, and charcoal, and how wood ash can be used to improve soil quality. Other presentations will look at reaction rates and carbon dioxide production, connecting classroom lessons to real-life situations.
Speaking on the initiative, Adam J. Kallon said, “We want students to see chemistry beyond the textbook.
This is about helping them understand how what they learn in class can be used to solve real problems in their communities.”
He added that the symposium is just a starting point and expressed hope that similar student-led science events will be organized across the country.
The symposium will take place in Gbarnga City, Bong County, on May 16, 2026.
