Published: May 22, 2025
MONROVIA – More than 600 aggrieved employees of the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS), including teachers, janitors, and security staff, are threatening to launch a system-wide go-slow action in early June over what they describe as the government’s failure to uphold a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The group accuses the Government of Liberia of breaching key commitments agreed upon in a resolution signed on March 27, 2025, which was intended to end an earlier go-slow protest that had disrupted learning across Monrovia. That protest had drawn support from students who staged public demonstrations, pleading for a swift resolution to avoid further setbacks to their education.
Among their chief grievances are the government’s failure to adjust salaries for qualified staff, place vetted volunteer teachers on the payroll, and implement a promised US$50 monthly salary increment announced by President Joseph Boakai during his State of the Nation Address.
“We, the aggrieved volunteer teachers and the entire workforce of MCSS, express our deep disappointment and growing frustration over the Government of Liberia’s continued failure to honor the commitments made in the March 27 resolution,” the employees said in a joint statement.
Broken Promises
The March agreement, signed after consultations with lawmakers, the Ministries of Education and Youth and Sports, the Civil Service Agency (CSA), and civil society groups including the Liberia National Student Union (LINSU), had laid out clear deadlines:
- April 30: Salary adjustments for qualified staff
- May 31: Inclusion of vetted volunteer teachers on payroll
- Immediate collaboration to ensure all terms are fulfilled
However, employees say none of those commitments have been met.
“The April deadline for salary adjustments passed without any implementation. And with May coming to a close, no one has been placed on payroll, nor have we received any updates from the government,” said one senior teacher, who requested anonymity.
Volunteer teachers say they’ve worked unpaid for years under what they call exploitative and demoralizing conditions, trusting the government would eventually recognize their efforts.
“This was not just a gesture of goodwill—it was a commitment to national service,” said another aggrieved staff member. “We suspended our protest in March believing change would come. But the silence since then has been deafening.”
Ultimatum Issued
The aggrieved workers have now given the government until May 31 to meet all terms of the MoU, or face a complete shutdown of academic activities across the MCSS system.
“If by May 31, volunteer teachers are not placed on payroll and all commitments in the resolution are not fulfilled, we will resume a sustained, system-wide go-slow starting the first week of June,” the statement warned.
Describing themselves as “ignored, used, and disrespected,” the employees insist their action is not just about their salaries, but the survival of public education in Liberia.
“This is not just a teacher’s fight—it is a national education crisis in the making,” they said.
Call to Action
The employees are urging the Ministry of Education, the Civil Service Agency, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, and the House of Representatives to intervene immediately to avoid a complete disruption of academic activities.
With the 2024/2025 school year nearing its end, many fear that another go-slow could derail final exams and further compound the learning gaps caused by years of instability and underfunding.
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