More than 750 high school students from across Liberia gathered in Gbarnga, Bong County over the weekend for what educators are calling a groundbreaking moment in the country's science education journey -- Liberia's first-ever student-led Chemistry Symposium.
Held on May 16, 2026, at the auditorium of Bong County University, the event brought together students from grades 10 through 12 under the theme, "Applying Chemistry for Problem Solving, Innovation, and Sustainable Development."
The symposium was organized by Liberian Chemistry educator Adam J. Kallon, who said the initiative was born out of concern over the long-standing challenges facing practical science education in Liberia.
For many students, the event marked the first time they had participated in live scientific experiments and demonstrations outside of textbooks and classroom theory.
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Inside the packed university auditorium, students confidently conducted experiments ranging from water purification through filtration to soap production through saponification. Others demonstrated chemical reactions involving acids and bases, natural indicators, gas production, energy transformation, reaction rates, and Chemistry applications in sustainable agriculture.
The atmosphere was part science fair, part innovation showcase, as students explained how simple scientific principles could be used to solve everyday problems affecting Liberian communities.
"We wanted students to see Chemistry not as something abstract written on a blackboard, but as a living science that can improve lives and solve real problems," Mr. Kallon said. "The future of Liberia's development will depend heavily on young people who can think critically, innovate, and apply scientific knowledge practically."
He noted that many schools across Liberia continue to struggle with inadequate laboratories, limited chemicals and equipment, overcrowded classrooms, and insufficient opportunities for hands-on science instruction.
"As teachers, we often ask students to imagine experiments they never actually see," Kallon said. "This symposium was about changing that mindset and giving students the confidence to experiment, explore, and create."
Education stakeholders attending the event praised the initiative as a significant step toward strengthening Liberia's STEM culture at a time when many African countries are pushing to expand science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education.
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Several students described the symposium as inspiring and transformational.
"I used to think Chemistry was only for people in foreign countries with big laboratories," said one participating student from Bong County. "Today showed me that we can also become scientists here in Liberia."
Another student participant said the experience changed the way she viewed science education.
"When we performed the experiments ourselves, it made everything feel real," she said. "Now I understand that science is not only about passing exams. It is about solving problems in our communities."
Observers said the symposium reflected a growing appetite among young Liberians for practical learning opportunities and innovation-driven education.
Some educators expressed hope that the initiative could evolve into a nationwide annual program capable of connecting schools, universities, policymakers, and development partners around science education and innovation.
"This is the kind of environment that inspires the next generation of researchers, engineers, doctors, and inventors," one of several science teachers attending the event remarked. "Liberia cannot talk about development without investing seriously in science education."
Mr. Kallon said he hopes the symposium becomes the beginning of a broader national movement aimed at transforming science education from rote memorization into hands-on discovery and problem-solving.
"Our students are capable of brilliance," he said. "What they need is opportunity, exposure, and the belief that innovation can come from Liberia too."
