BONG COUNTY — In the heart of Bong County, where hundreds of children from poor families attend government-run schools, crumbling infrastructure, leaking roofs, broken furniture, and serious health hazards define their daily learning experience. In these dilapidated classrooms, education is more of a struggle for survival than a path to opportunity.
While the children of lawmakers, ministers, and other government elites attend elite private institutions—often with air-conditioned classrooms, computers, and imported teaching materials—many of Liberia’s public schools, particularly in rural communities, are barely standing. The contrast is stark and painful for families left behind in a system that appears to ignore them.
A survey conducted by The Liberian Investigator in April 2025 found that more than ten public schools across Bong County are in states of severe decay due to years of government inaction and the absence of regular maintenance. Most of the affected schools are located in remote towns and villages, further amplifying the challenges for students and teachers alike.
Among the most affected institutions are John P. Mitchell Public School in Gbondoi Town, Margarat Kennedy School in Sergeant Kollie Town, Suakoko District, and Barsee Kpangbai Public School in Blameyea Town. Others include Charlie K. Too Public School in Kpaai District, Wainsue Kpai Elementary School in Jorquelleh District #3, Gbonota Public School in Sanoyea District, and Kwainyea Public School in Panta District.
At Gbonota Public School, Principal Johnson Nkyainwoe described the conditions as unlivable.
“The building is falling apart. The roof leaks from every direction during the rains, making it unbearably cold for our students,” he said. “The paint is peeling. A storm tore off part of the roof. We simply don’t have the resources to fix it.”
The school, which serves over 500 students from Gbonota and nearby towns, has almost no functioning furniture. Many students sit on the dusty concrete floor, while others bring handmade chairs crafted from bamboo or scrap wood. “There are days when students can’t write because they have no surfaces to rest their books on,” Nkyainwoe added.
At Wainsue Kpai Elementary School, the conditions are equally dire. The school, built in 2006 and never renovated since, is on the verge of collapse. Principal Martha Yarsiah walked a reporter through classrooms with gaping cracks in the walls and shattered floor tiles.
“The floors in the classrooms are cracked, the walls are crumbling, and the building is unsafe,” she said. “We’ve written countless letters to the Ministry of Education, but we’re always told to wait.”
Yarsiah said a violent rainstorm last year destroyed the school’s only latrine. “Now our children are forced to defecate in the nearby bush. It’s not just humiliating—it’s dangerous. They’re exposed to infections and even wild animals.”
At Gwainyea Public School in Panta District, a teacher who requested anonymity expressed frustration.
“We have no chairs. Students sit on the floor. The cracked walls are dangerous. And still, we are expected to deliver quality education,” the teacher said. “Sometimes, when it rains, we have to send the children home early. We’re not only teachers now—we’re also carpenters, plumbers, and security guards.”
The same concerns echoed at John P. Mitchell Public School, where Principal Gibson Kerkulah painted a bleak picture.
“This school is in a very bad condition. Government needs to come to our aid. This situation has persisted for too long,” Kerkulah said. “The windows are broken, the floors have burst, and the entire building is unfit for learning.”
In several of the schools visited, children are instructed to bring their own locally-made chairs to school daily and return home with them—an arrangement that is not only burdensome but disruptive to consistent learning. In some instances, children have gone days without attending school because their families could not provide a chair.
Despite growing outcry, school administrators across Bong County say they’ve received no tangible support from the Ministry of Education, which was allocated US$119.72 million in the national budget for fiscal year 2025. That figure represents 13.6 percent of the overall national budget—well below the 20 percent minimum recommended by the Incheon Declaration on Education 2030, an international framework Liberia has committed to.
“There is no line item in the national budget that provides for school renovation in Bong County,” said an education officer who spoke anonymously for fear of retaliation. “We submit reports every year, yet nothing is done.”
When contacted, J. Maxime Bleetahn, Director of Communications at the Ministry of Education, acknowledged the concerns and said the Ministry would meet with County Education Officer Armah N. Varfee on Wednesday, April 30, to assess the situation. A formal response is expected by Thursday, May 1.
Meanwhile, the consequences of these long-standing issues are already manifesting. School attendance in some districts is falling, particularly during rainy periods. Teachers complain of low morale, and communities worry about losing their best minds to urban migration or early dropout.
Advocates warn that children in rural communities may increasingly fall victim to early marriage, harmful traditional practices, or become trapped in cycles of poverty as their access to quality education fades.
“These kids are the future of Liberia,” said Mary Kollie, a mother of four in Blameyea Town. “But how can they learn in these conditions? Some days my children cry and refuse to go to school. If this doesn’t change, the whole nation will suffer.”
The ripple effects of underfunding education are vast. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), countries that fail to invest adequately in public education are likely to face long-term setbacks in health, economic productivity, and social stability.
Education stakeholders are now urging the Boakai administration to prioritize school infrastructure as a national emergency and make clear, transparent commitments toward rehabilitation funding in the upcoming budget cycles.
For now, hundreds of children across Bong County will rise early tomorrow morning, chairs in hand, hoping their classrooms are dry enough to hold lessons. Their dreams persist—but the conditions under which they learn betray the nation’s promise.
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