A group of aggrieved volunteer teachers staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, near the private residence of President Joseph N. Boakai, drawing attention to years of unpaid services and demanding urgent government intervention as the new academic year approaches.
The protest, led in part by James B. Massalay Jr., a volunteer teacher at Rebecca J.N. Wilson Elementary School, underscored the dire conditions faced by hundreds of educators who have worked without compensation for over two years within the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS).
“We are yet to receive anything from the government since your last meeting with the Finance Minister, and school is about to reopen,” Massalay wrote in a letter addressed to the President of the Volunteer Teachers Association. “This situation raises serious questions about the sustainability of our education system and the welfare of these teachers.”
Despite repeated assurances from government officials, the teachers say no meaningful progress has been made. Some inscriptions on the placards of protesting teachers: “We the volunteer teachers need employment so our lives can improve. Qualified teachers deserve salaries. Respect Educate, Save Education. No employment for volunteer teachers, no instructions…”
Their demand remains clear: fair compensation and official recognition for their contributions to Liberia’s struggling education sector.
Eyewitnesses described the protest as peaceful and orderly, with teachers holding placards that read, “We Teach for Liberia, But Who Cares for us?” and “Education First, But Teachers Last?”
In his letter, Massalay praised the resilience of the unpaid educators, calling their commitment “truly commendable,” and warned that continued government inaction could seriously disrupt the delivery of quality education nationwide.
“We kindly request urgent attention to this matter,” the letter concluded, “to ensure the continuity of quality education in our country.”
This protest adds to growing public scrutiny over the Boakai administration’s response to key social issues, particularly education, as pressure mounts to address long-standing challenges facing Liberia’s schools and teachers.
With the new school year just weeks away, volunteer educators say time is running out for the government to act.
