Police fire teargas at high school students protesting unpaid teacher top-ups

MONROVIA – Liberia’s floundering education system took a dark turn Tuesday when riot police fired teargas at students protesting in defense of their unpaid teachers, choking the streets of Monrovia in smoke, panic, and fury. The protest, organized by students of the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS), spiraled into chaos as security forces moved to crush the demonstration.

Hundreds of uniformed students, defiant but peaceful, blocked key arteries between the Capitol Building and the Executive Mansion, demanding immediate action from the government to settle long-overdue salary top-ups for their instructors. But their calls were met not with dialogue, but with batons and gas canisters.

Some collapsed. Others fled weeping. And all left with a bitter taste of betrayal, a chilling symbol of a country silencing its future.

“We are fighting for our future,” a teary-eyed student told reporters amid the chaos. “If our teachers are not paid, how can we learn? How can we succeed?”

Government Denials Fall Flat

In response to public outcry, Education Minister Dr. Jarso Jallah tried to calm nerves at a press briefing, insisting that the government owed no teacher a dime in salary. According to her, out of 13,400 teachers, 9,271 had received their top-ups, while the Civil Service Agency (CSA) was still vetting the rest.

But her assurances did little to convince the Liberia National Students’ Union (LINSU), which slammed the government for what it called “systemic neglect” and “gross indifference” to the country’s collapsing schools. LINSU declared the education system a “national emergency,” citing rampant wage irregularities, crumbling infrastructure, and acute shortages of essential supplies.

“You cannot have quality education without qualified, motivated, and respected teachers. We inherited a system laden with complex challenges where many teachers were underpaid or not paid at all,” she said.

Teachers Strike Back

Augustine N. Nyormui, President of the MCSS Teachers Association, announced last week an indefinite go-slow beginning March 22, 2025, citing government inaction and broken promises.

“The government claims to prioritize education, yet our cries go unheard,” Nyormui said at a press conference last Thursday. “While officials enjoy luxury and comfort, the very people tasked with educating Liberia’s children are living in misery.”

Nyormui also criticized the CSA for branding MCSS as a “redline” institution, which he said effectively sidelines its funding and operations.

Teachers’ Demands

The MCSSTA outlined four key demands, which they insist must be met before resuming normal activities:

1. Salary Adjustments: The government must immediately adjust the monthly salaries of employees in accordance with their academic qualifications.
2. Regularization of Volunteer Workers: All volunteer teachers must be transitioned to full-time employment to ensure the provision of quality education.
3. Salary Increments: The government must implement the salary increments promised in President Joseph Boakai’s State of the Nation Address, which was reaffirmed by Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan on various radio stations.
4. Increased Budgetary Support: More funding must be allocated to MCSS to ensure smooth operations, as the institution is currently operating under severe financial strain, according to the CSA.

“We will not back down,” Nyormui declared. “Even if our own children are affected, we cannot continue to teach while starving. This is not a sacrifice—it’s slavery.”

Nyormui instructed all MCSS teachers and employees to stay away from work until their demands are met.

While acknowledging that these issues were inherited from previous administrations, he emphasized that governance is about continuity and insisted that the UP-led government must take urgent action, especially since it campaigned on prioritizing education.

Police Silent as Outrage Grows

Repeated attempts to reach Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman for comment on the excessive use of force proved futile.

The Unity Party (UP) government, which campaigned heavily on education reform, now finds itself on the defensive. Civil society groups are demanding accountability, while parents and educators brace for a prolonged disruption.