Days after health workers in Liberia returned to work after a successful week-long strike action that claimed the attention of government over 'low wages', thousands of teachers in Bong County are threatening to down tools if the government continues to ignore their demands.

The teachers made the threat Wednesday when they appeared on Super Bongese, a Gbarnga-based community radio station. "The government has not been treating us fair. Our salary is not enough to respond to the growing economic crisis in the country," said Jorquelleh District Education Officer Jackson Singbah

The aggrieved Bong County teachers also called for "a considerable wage" for rural teachers. "For us in rural Liberia, we encounter problem as compared to teachers in the urban parts of the country but yet it is not reflected in our salary," Singbah said.

Singbah wants the government to pay rural teachers over US$ 200 a month instead of US$ 100 he said government previously promised.

Suakoko District education officer Joe Flomo Nuweli said the raise was not enough. "We demand that teachers be employed permanently and enjoy benefits similar to other government employees," he said."The department must also recognize their qualifications just like the other ministries provinces in the country do."

One of the teachers of government schools in Bong County, Wesseh Zoryou, accused the ministry of Education of looking down on the services and good work done by rural teachers.

"We are not fully recognized as teachers," she said. "We can't survive on this salary. It's just too little."

Bong County Education Officer K. G. S. Kapu in reaction to the teachers' demands said: "We acknowledge receiving the teachers' memorandum. We will study it and respond at the appropriate time."