Over 500 adjunct faculty members at the University of Liberia have issued a nationwide call for intervention from President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., decrying what they describe as “modern slavery.”
The group says it has not received any salary payments since February 2025, despite continuing to teach and fulfill academic duties.
In a press release issued Wednesday, the facilitators expressed deep frustration over what they call a worsening crisis, with much now facing destitution, debt, and an inability to meet basic family needs.
“We are not beggars, we are professionals who have honored our responsibilities,” said one adjunct lecturer, speaking anonymously due to fear of reprisal. “Yet, after seven months of unpaid labor, we are left humiliated and struggling to survive. This is modern slavery in our country’s premier university.”
A Crisis in Numbers
The extent of the hardship is alarming:
500+ adjunct facilitators remain unpaid
6–8 months of teaching without compensation
Lecturers walking long distances due to lack of transport fare
Some unable to pay their children’s school fees
Many forced into debt to meet basic living expenses
Despite these conditions, the educators allege that the university administration, led by President Dr. Layli S. Maparyan, has yet to provide a clear plan or timeline for resolving the crisis. They accuse the leadership of operating in silence while the livelihoods of vital academic staff crumble.
Key Demands to the Government
In their statement, the facilitators outlined three primary demands:
Immediate payment of all outstanding salaries
A presidential directive for an independent audit of UL’s payroll and financial systems
Policy reforms to prevent similar treatment of any educator in Liberia
“We have fulfilled our duties to our students and our country,” the group said. “We demand that the Government of Liberia fulfill its duty to us. Education cannot thrive when its foot soldiers are treated with such disregard.”
Petition to Be Delivered August 15
The facilitators plan to deliver a formal petition to Dr. Maparyan on Friday, August 15, 2025, calling for swift and transparent action.
The situation has sparked wider concern about the treatment of public education professionals in Liberia, especially adjunct and part-time lecturers, whose work underpins much of the university system. Many observers warn that without them; the University of Liberia’s academic operations would be severely crippled.
Administration Responds
In response, Dr. Lester Tenny, Professor of Economics and Acting Vice President for Finance and Fiscal Affairs, acknowledged the issue but cited concerns over irregularities in the adjunct hiring and compensation system.
“When we reviewed the numbers, the total count of adjunct and part-time faculty reached 835,” Dr. Tenny said. “With the current number of full-time faculty, it’s not feasible to have that many part-timers legitimately assigned. Each full-time faculty member teaches up to 12 credits weekly.
“In reviewing the contracts and e-Portal grade submissions, we found cases where courses assigned to adjuncts didn’t exist, or no grades were submitted.”
Dr. Tenny added that the administration is conducting a thorough verification process:
“We’re 60% through reconciling contracts with grade submissions. If someone signed a contract, they should have taught a course and submitted grades. Once this verification is complete, we will submit the list to the Ministry of Finance for payment. The government is committed to paying, but only those properly verified.”
Background
Adjunct facilitators at the University of Liberia are part-time academic staff who teach, mentor, and grade thousands of students across multiple campuses. Despite their essential contributions, many report working in precarious conditions with minimal support.
As tensions escalate, pressure is mounting on both the university administration and the national government to act. For the unpaid facilitators, the message is clear: their patience has reached a breaking point.
