A new report has raised concerns over the state of education in Liberia, warning that although more children are attending school, many are not acquiring basic learning skills needed for life and national development.
The report, highlighted by Human Rights Watch and echoed by Liberia’s Education Minister, Jarso Maley Jallah, revealed that numerous children remain unable to properly read, comprehend, or solve simple academic problems despite being enrolled in school.
According to the report, Liberia’s education crisis has shifted beyond school enrollment to the quality of learning taking place in classrooms. While efforts over the years focused on increasing access to education after periods of war, Ebola, and economic hardship, experts now say many students are advancing through school without mastering foundational skills.
The Education Minister reportedly shared the case of a child who could neatly copy words from a blackboard but could not read what had been written, describing it as a troubling reflection of the country’s learning crisis.
The report warned that weak foundational learning could have long-term consequences for Liberia’s economy, governance, and democratic development. It noted that students who fail to understand reading, mathematics, and critical thinking at early stages often struggle throughout adulthood, affecting workforce productivity and civic participation.
It further stated that Liberia now faces two major education challenges simultaneously — limited access to schooling due to poverty and poor-quality education for those already enrolled.
Observers also pointed to difficult teaching conditions across the country, including overcrowded classrooms reportedly containing between 80 and 150 students, unpaid volunteer teachers, inadequate learning materials, and poor school infrastructure.
The report stressed that national progress in areas such as investment, healthcare, technology, entrepreneurship, and governance cannot be achieved without strong educational foundations.
It added that many children are not failing because of lack of intelligence, but because the education system remains underfunded and inconsistent in supporting early learning development.
Stakeholders therefore called for Liberia to stop measuring educational success solely by school attendance and instead focus on whether students are truly learning and developing the ability to think critically, solve problems, and contribute meaningfully to society.
Source: [AllAfrica](https://allafrica.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) / [Liberian Observer](https://www.liberianobserver.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.