Adjunct faculty at University of Liberia breaks with ULFA over strike

Published: September 4, 2025

MONROVIA — The Adjunct Faculty Association of the University of Liberia (AFA-UL) has declined to join the indefinite strike initiated by the University of Liberia Faculty Association (ULFA), instead urging dialogue over protest as tensions rise over a long-delayed Collective Bargaining Agreement.

ULFA unanimously voted on August 29 to boycott all academic activities at the state-run university, demanding that the government and university administration sign an agreement addressing salary disparities, stalled promotions, sanitation, social security payments, and other grievances. The move threatens to derail the start of a new semester for thousands of students.

But in a statement issued Wednesday, AFA-UL said it “respects ULFA’s position” but refuses to support actions that could “derail the advancement of higher education.” The group highlighted that the decision to strike was made without its input.

“We will not be used as foot soldiers in a fight that ignores our contribution,” the statement read. Signed by Assistant Secretary General George Tengbeh and approved by President Wilhelmina Garr Stevens, AFA-UL stressed that its advocacy focuses on adjunct priorities such as timely pay, fair compensation based on qualifications, professional development, and pathways to full-time employment.

The association commended University President Dr. Layli Maparyan for her efforts to address outstanding payments and her “willingness to always listen whenever she is called upon.” It also appreciated her engagement with the UL Board of Trustees, while urging members to continue their teaching responsibilities.

Faculty Frustrations Boil Over

ULFA’s strike represents the culmination of years of frustration over broken promises. Faculty leaders say repeated assurances from the university administration and the Ministry of Finance have failed to resolve long-standing issues such as late salary payments, unfulfilled promotions, and poor campus conditions.

ULFA President Dr. Edna Johnny told colleagues last week that the administration had failed to act despite commitments. “This is where the UL Administration and the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Finance have kept us,” she said.

The strike, unanimously endorsed by ULFA’s general assembly, is the latest in a series of disruptions that have dogged Liberia’s fragile higher education system. Critics warn that continued breakdowns risk further eroding academic standards and delaying graduations.