The Plenary of the House of Representatives has cited the Ministers of Education, Ministry of Finance and Civil Service Agency to appear next Thursday and address the continued prevalence of volunteer teachers across the country, particularly in River Gee County, where a majority of public school teachers reportedly work without government employment status.
The decision was reached on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, during the regular sitting marking the 5th day of the 3rd Quarter of the 2nd Session of the 55th Legislature. The plenary’s action was triggered by a formal communication from River Gee County Electoral District #3 Representative, Hon. Isaac Choloplay Wuo, who petitioned the august body to summon the Education Minister for an explanation regarding the situation.
In his communication, Hon. Wuo described the condition as “alarming and detrimental to the right to education for citizens of River Gee County and, by extension, rural Liberia.” He lamented that approximately 60 percent of public school teachers in River Gee County remain volunteers, with only a few appearing on the Government of Liberia’s payroll.
Representative Wuo highlighted several examples illustrating the gravity of the problem:
• Tartuken Public School – 9 teachers, including the principal; all are volunteers.
• Juwelpo Public School – 8 teachers, including the principal; all are volunteers.
• Paroken Public School – 9 teachers; only one is on the government payroll, currently on study leave in Harper.
• Kuwor Memorial Institute (KMI) – 11 teachers; only 2 are on payroll, while 9 serve as volunteers.
• Dweh Memorial Public School – 7 teachers, all volunteers, including the principal.
Hon. Wuo emphasized that this widespread reliance on volunteer teachers not only discourages qualified educators but also undermines the delivery of quality education in remote areas. He called for urgent government intervention to regularize the status of volunteer teachers and ensure fair compensation for their service.
Following a lengthy debate on the floor, the House Plenary agreed that the Minister of Education must provide a detailed explanation on the challenges leading to the prolonged situation and outline concrete steps being taken to address it.
The Ministry of Education, CSA and Finance Ministry are expected to appear before the plenary in the coming days to provide updates and recommendations on the way forward.
