-Cracks Down on Rogue Graduation Fees
By Jessica Cox
MONROVIA – The Liberian government has extended salary top-ups, ensuring that no public school teacher earns less than US$185, a move currently benefiting approximately 9,000 teachers across the country.
The announcement was made by Nyekpeh Y. Forkpah, Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Education, during the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing on Thursday. The news comes alongside a major regulatory crackdown on schools charging exorbitant and unauthorized graduation fees.
Minister Forkpah revealed that the ministry’s efforts to stabilize the educator workforce are two-fold: rewarding long-serving volunteers and cracking down on “ghost teachers” who collect salaries but fail to report for duty.
A recent assessment identified 6,198 volunteer teachers serving without pay. Following a competency evaluation under new Minister Dr. Jarso Jallah, 2,000 were deemed qualified. However, budget constraints only allowed for 1,000 to be added to the payroll this fiscal year, with 400 processed for September and 600 expected in October.
In a parallel review, the ministry discovered over 1,000 government-paid teachers who were refusing assignments, particularly in rural counties like Grand Gedeh, Lofa, Nimba, and Bong.
“These are men and women who filled the gap in our classrooms when there was no one else. They deserve recognition and support,” Forkpah stated, explaining that these “ghost teachers” were removed from the payroll and replaced with dedicated volunteers. This accountability measure, coupled with the top-up program, is designed to ensure teachers are both present in classrooms and compensated fairly.
Mandated Graduation Fees to Protect Parents:
Shifting to another pain point for families, Forkpah strongly reaffirmed the ministry’s legal mandate to regulate school charges, warning institutions that imposing unauthorized fees would result in fines.
The ministry has set standardized nationwide graduation fees to curb exploitative practices:
12th Grade: L$5,000 (Public) / US$100 (Private)
*6th & 9th Grades: L$3,500 (Public) / L$6,000 (Private)
Kindergarten: L$2,500 (Public) / L$5,000 (Private)
“We have received complaints from parents nationwide about schools charging astronomical fees,” Forkpah cautioned. “While private and community schools are partners in delivering education, they must not violate regulations. That will not be tolerated.” He confirmed that several schools have already been fined for breaching these regulations, signaling a new era of enforcement.
