The National Teachers Association of Liberia (NTAL), in partnership with Education International, has called on the Liberian government to increase investment in public education, improve teachers’ welfare, and strengthen the regulation of private education providers.
The appeal was made at the end of a two-day stakeholders’ validation workshop on education financing and the impact of privatisation on Liberia’s education system.
Speaking at the event, NTAL National President, Mary W. Mulbah Nyumah, said the collaboration reflected a shared commitment to improving education through research, dialogue, and strategic partnerships.
She noted that Liberia’s education sector continues to face inadequate funding, shortages of teaching and learning materials, poor school infrastructure, and insufficient support for teachers and learners.
“Every child deserves access to free, equitable and quality public education, and every teacher deserves the support and resources needed to provide that education,” Nyumah said.
Education International’s Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Dennis Sinyolo, urged the Liberian government to invest more in teachers, school infrastructure, and learning materials to improve educational outcomes.
He referenced global and continental education commitments, including Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the Continental Education Strategy for Africa, noting that Liberia played a key role in shaping the global education agenda adopted by the United Nations in 2015.
Sinyolo stressed that the quality of any education system depends largely on the quality of its teachers, calling for greater investment in teacher training, continuous professional development, improved salaries, and better working conditions.
He also advocated stronger regulation of private education providers, arguing that quality education should remain accessible and affordable for all children, regardless of their socio-economic background.
According to him, parents should not be compelled to enrol their children in private schools because of the absence or poor quality of public schools.
Sinyolo further encouraged education stakeholders to intensify advocacy for increased education financing through what he described as the “Triple P” approach—persuade, push, and press governments to prioritise education funding and implementation.
He also outlined the “Five Bigs” for transforming education systems: think big, plan big, invest big, act big, and achieve big.
The workshop concluded with participants developing recommendations aimed at strengthening education financing and safeguarding public education in Liberia.
Both NTAL and Education International reaffirmed their commitment to working with the government, civil society organisations, parents, and students to ensure every Liberian child has access to quality, equitable public education.
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