Liberia: Lofa County Government Schools Overcrowded, Teachers and Students Struggle

25 October 2024
The Liberian Investigator (Monrovia)
By J. Mason Kollie

Voinjama — Several government high schools in Lofa County are grappling with severe overcrowding, leaving teachers and students struggling to cope with the challenging conditions. The overcrowded classrooms have raised concerns among educators, who find it increasingly difficult to deliver lessons and conduct essential activities.

According to some teachers, classrooms that were designed to accommodate around 50 students are now hosting as many as 150 to 175 students per class. "We are finding it difficult to present lessons and conduct evaluations. Imagine a single classroom with 150 to 160 students. There's no proper seating, and it's impossible to move around to monitor student activities," a teacher from Voinjama Multilateral High School explained.

Zayzay Gayflor, a teacher at Voinjama Public High School, echoed these concerns. "We teachers are suffering. The classes are overpopulated, and there is no way to effectively deliver lessons or evaluations in these conditions," he said.

A tour of several government schools in and around Voinjama City revealed that the situation is widespread. Schools such as Voinjama Public School, William A. Brown High, Kolahun Central High, Zorzor Central High, and Voinjama Multilateral High are all facing similar issues. Both students and teachers expressed frustration, while school administrators acknowledged the strain caused by the overwhelming number of students.

Parents, facing economic hardships, are increasingly sending their children to government schools, where tuition fees are lower. However, the government has not been able to build new schools or recruit additional teachers to address the rising demand. As a result, the schools are overwhelmed.

Local school officials in Lofa County are aware of the issue but have stated that they are unable to take any action until the central government intervenes.

The situation continues to deteriorate, leaving Lofa County's government schools in a state of disarray, with both teachers and students bearing the brunt of the overcrowded conditions.

Read the original article on Liberian Investigator.

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