Monrovia, Liberia — In a major push to reduce the number of out-of-school children in Liberia, the Ministry of Education has launched a nationwide campaign aimed at bringing 250,000 children back to the classroom.
Education Minister Dr. Jarso Jallah announced on Thursday, September 4, that registration fees have been waived in seven counties for children who have been out of school for two years or more. The move is part of a broader strategy to improve access to education and support Liberia’s ongoing post-pandemic recovery in the education sector.
“We have waived registration fees in seven counties for children who have not enrolled in school for two years or more,” Dr. Jallah told lawmakers during a Senate Public Hearing at the Capitol. “We will also provide book bags to support their return. This initiative aims to boost enrollment.”
While the minister did not disclose the names of the seven counties, she explained that they were selected based on enrollment data and the number of children currently out of school. The effort, she noted, is being carried out in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which is providing support to implement the program.
Dr. Jallah emphasized that removing financial barriers is critical to ensuring that every child has access to education.
The initiative comes at a time when Liberia’s education system continues to grapple with economic challenges, teacher shortages, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
During her testimony, Dr. Jallah also addressed the issue of overage students in lower grades, noting that the Ministry has transitioned 300 overage children from grades 3 and 4 to more age-appropriate settings. Additionally, she revealed that the Ministry has submitted 2,607 Personnel Action Notices (PANs) for volunteer teachers to the Ministry of Finance for payroll placement. Of that number, 458 have already been processed.
Lawmakers and education stakeholders at the hearing welcomed the initiative and urged the Ministry to ensure sustained funding and effective monitoring to achieve long-term impact.
The re-enrollment campaign marks one of the Ministry’s most ambitious efforts to date in addressing the country’s education gap and reaffirms the government’s commitment to achieving universal access to education.
