An investigation by Verity News has obtained fresh video footage of students sitting on the bare floor at a major public school that serves over 25 communities in Todee, Montserrado County. As politicians live in luxury, thousands of students continue to learn under harsh conditions.
The Jessie S. Gono Public School, located in the Pleemu Clan of Todee Statutory District, is one of the latest examples of Liberia’s worsening education crisis.
The school, which has not undergone renovation in many years, is crumbling under severe neglect.
Administrators report that the facility lacks nearly every basic educational resource, adequate classroom space, a functioning bathroom, a library, a science laboratory, a teachers’ lounge, an auditorium, teacher quarters, and even desks and chairs for students.
Despite serving more than twenty-five communities across Todee District, the school operates with only four teaching staff, severely undermining the quality of instruction.
For the students who attend Jessie S. Gono Public School, sitting on the floor has become a daily reality.
This situation mirrors earlier reports from March, when a teacher from the Demonstration Public School in Fish Town, River Gee County released photos showing students similarly forced to sit on the bare floor due to the absence of desks and chairs.
The images sparked outrage across the country, reigniting concerns over the government’s failure to prioritize education.
At both schools, the scenes are the same: children crouched uncomfortably on concrete floors, huddling over notebooks as they attempt to learn in overcrowded, poorly maintained classrooms. The lack of even the simplest learning materials raises serious questions about the government’s commitment to the country’s youth.
While students struggle for a place to sit, government spending tells a very different story.
According to the FY2024 Outturn Report, over US$40 million was allocated to just a handful of expenditure lines for Liberia’s lawmakers. Salaries for the 103 legislators alone amounted to more than US$12 million, while nearly US$18 million was spent on legislative committee hearings.
A further US$3.9 million went toward new vehicles for lawmakers, and close to US$5 million was used to cover their fuel costs.
In total, US$40.9 million was directed toward these select categories, an amount that could have purchased more than 43,000 student desks. Yet the government continues to channel millions into lawmakers’ perks and luxuries, leaving schools across the country with little more than empty promises.
Meanwhile, essential workers, including teachers, nurses, doctors, and security personnel, continue to struggle with monthly salaries as low as US$150. Many work voluntarily for little or no pay at all.
To further highlight the disparity, the children of many government officials attend elite private schools locally and abroad, starkly contrasting the impoverished learning conditions faced by the country’s public-school students.
For a nation that claims education is the foundation of national development, the reality paints a troubling picture. A single student desk costs roughly US$23, meaning just a fraction of the funds spent on lawmakers’ luxury vehicles could transform hundreds of classrooms. Instead, neglect persists, deepening public frustration and widening the gap between citizens and their elected leaders.
The crisis at Jessie S. Gono Public School and Demonstration Public School is not an anomaly-it is part of a systemic pattern of mismanagement and misplaced priorities.
As ordinary Liberians struggle to make ends meet, political leaders continue to enjoy the benefits of a system that favors the powerful and sidelines the vulnerable.
With outrage growing, citizens are calling for accountability and meaningful reform. The conditions captured in these videos and photos serve as a loud reminder: Liberia’s children deserve better. Their future, and the country’s future, hangs in the balance.
It is time for leaders to redirect resources where they matter most and for the public to demand transparency and responsible governance. Liberia cannot afford to sacrifice another generation to neglect.
