The question of who bears responsibility when explicit entertainment reaches school campuses has returned to the national spotlight following a forceful condemnation by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, sharpening scrutiny of how Liberia enforces child-safeguarding standards across educational institutions.
In a statement issued Sunday, the Gender Ministry strongly condemned the performance of a sexually explicit song by Liberian artist Christoph The Change during the gala day celebration of St. Theresa Convent Catholic School, an event attended by minors. Videos circulating on social media show students, many under the age of 18, singing and dancing to the song, which the Ministry described as "deeply troubling" and inconsistent with national child protection standards.
The Ministry emphasized that schools must remain safe and child-friendly environments and warned that exposing children to sexually explicit material undermines their dignity, wellbeing, and healthy development. It raised concerns about content vetting, supervision, and adherence to safeguarding principles, particularly given the school's reputation for discipline and moral instruction.
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Citing Liberia's obligations under national law and international instruments such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Gender Ministry rejected any justification for the incident and stressed that responsibility rests collectively with school authorities, entertainers, parents, and event organizers. It called for a thorough review of the matter and urged relevant authorities to ensure accountability and prevent similar occurrences in schools and child-centered spaces.
The Gender Ministry's intervention comes amid a more cautious response from the Ministry of Education, which earlier acknowledged the circulating video and described the content as inappropriate for minors but said it was still verifying the circumstances under which the event occurred. The Education Ministry said it was engaging school authorities and would take appropriate action in line with national education policies, pending the outcome of that process.
The measured approach contrasts sharply with the Ministry's response to a similar incident in December 2025, when it ordered the immediate temporary closure of House of Prayer Institute in Brewerville following a performance deemed inappropriate for children. In that case, the Education Ministry cited multiple regulatory violations, including lack of accreditation, safeguarding failures, and the decision by school administrators to host unsuitable entertainment. The closure was accompanied by fines and consideration of referral to child protection authorities.
While the December action placed responsibility squarely on institutional leadership and compliance failures, the narrative surrounding the St. Theresa Convent incident briefly shifted following a statement from Christoph The Change's management.
In its release, the artist's management acknowledged that an inappropriate verse was performed but attributed the incident to audible requests from students, describing the moment as an unforeseen situation triggered by audience chants. The statement said an approved list of suitable songs had been prepared in advance and that the DJ was instructed to change the track once the chanting began, but did not comply. The management nevertheless apologized and pledged to engage the school administration directly.
That framing, however, has now been overtaken by the Gender Ministry's clear position that minors cannot bear responsibility for safeguarding failures in school settings. By explicitly rejecting any rationale that shifts blame to students, the Ministry has reinforced the principle that adults and institutions retain full responsibility for protecting children from harmful content.
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The differing tones and tempos of official responses have renewed public debate over consistency in enforcement, particularly between lesser-known institutions and prominent schools. While the Education Ministry has yet to announce whether disciplinary measures will follow in the St. Theresa Convent case, the Gender Ministry's intervention has heightened expectations for a decisive outcome.
For now, the incident underscores a broader national issue: when safeguarding standards are breached on school campuses, accountability rests not with children, but with the systems and adults charged with protecting them--and the credibility of those systems depends on how evenly the rules are applied.
