MONROVIA -- Liberia has released its first national scorecard measuring how well the country is delivering on promises made to educate and protect girls, offering a long-awaited snapshot of both progress achieved and challenges that persist.
The National Policy on Girls' Education (NPGE) Indicators Performance Scorecard, covering the period 2021 to 2025, is the first comprehensive attempt to track girls' education outcomes using a standardized set of indicators across access, retention, safety, equity and financing.
Education stakeholders say the scorecard marks an important shift from broad policy commitments to evidence-based accountability.
"This scorecard allows us to see clearly where we are succeeding and where urgent action is still needed," one education advocate familiar with the process said.
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What the scorecard shows
Using 21 indicators, the scorecard finds that Liberia has achieved system-wide gender parity in enrollment, meaning girls are now enrolling in school at rates comparable to boys -- and in some cases slightly higher.
For many advocates, that milestone reflects years of community outreach, school-feeding programs and policy reforms aimed at breaking down cultural and economic barriers that once kept girls out of classrooms.
But the scorecard also shows that enrollment gains do not always translate into completion.
Girls' completion rates remain below national targets at the primary and junior secondary levels, and several indicators -- including promotion rates, repetition rates and survival to the final grade -- lacked recent data, limiting the ability to track girls' full educational journeys.
Late entry, early risks
One of the clearest warning signs highlighted by the scorecard is delayed school entry.
Both the gross and net intake ratios for Grade 1 are off track, suggesting that many children -- especially girls -- are starting school late or not at all. Education specialists warn that late entry often increases vulnerability to dropout, early pregnancy and economic pressure.
The scorecard confirms that adolescent pregnancy remains a persistent risk in several counties and school types, despite national policies aimed at protecting pregnant girls' right to education.
Infrastructure and dignity
Beyond classrooms, the scorecard draws attention to the everyday conditions girls face in school.
Nearly 1,800 schools nationwide still lack toilet facilities, a shortfall advocates say directly affects girls' attendance, health and dignity. Without safe water and sanitation, many girls miss school during menstruation or leave altogether.
Data on school-related gender-based violence were also unavailable for the most recent reporting year, pointing to gaps in monitoring and reporting systems.
Who teaches -- and who leads
The scorecard finds that women remain underrepresented among teachers, particularly in rural areas and upper grade levels, falling below targets set under the NPGE.
Information on women in education leadership roles was also missing for the latest year, raising questions about how leadership pipelines for women are being tracked.
Financing tells a deeper story
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Perhaps most striking is what the scorecard reveals about funding.
Education spending remains far below the 6 percent of GDP benchmark, and while the share of government expenditure devoted to education is improving, it has not reached the 20 percent target set in national plans.
Per-student recurrent spending stands at about US$80, a figure experts say constrains learning quality, teacher support and student retention -- particularly for girls facing multiple disadvantages.
A tool for action, not blame
Commissioned by the Educate HER Consortium and validated by the Ministry of Education and national stakeholders, the scorecard is intended as a decision-making tool rather than a verdict.
It draws on data from the Annual School Census, national budget reports and census-based education studies, offering a baseline against which future progress can be measured.
