Monrovia, July 13, 2026: The National Teachers Association of Liberia and Education International have called for increased government investment in public education, improved teacher welfare, and stronger regulation of private education providers.
The call was made at the close of a two-day stakeholders' validation workshop on education financing and the impact of privatization in Liberia.
NTAL National President Mary W. Mulbah Nyumah welcomed participants and thanked Education International and Free Liberia for supporting the research presented at the workshop.
Nyumah said the collaboration reflected a shared commitment to improving education in Liberia through evidence, dialogue, and partnership.
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She said Liberia's education system continues to face inadequate financing, shortages of teaching and learning materials, poor infrastructure, and the need for stronger support for teachers and learners.
"Every child deserves access to free, equitable, and quality public education, and every teacher deserves the support and resources needed to provide that education," Nyumah said.
Education International Regional Director for Africa Dr. Dennis Sinyolo said governments must invest in teachers, school infrastructure, and learning materials to improve education outcomes.
Sinyolo cited international commitments, including Sustainable Development Goal 4, Agenda 2063, and the Continental Education Strategy for Africa, saying Liberia played a leading role in negotiations for the global education goal in 2013.
"Liberia led the discussions which culminated in the adoption of that framework by the United Nations in 2015," he said. "You must therefore lead the way in making sure that what you helped to develop is fully implemented."
He said the quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers and urged the government to invest in teacher training, professional development, decent salaries, and improved working conditions.
Sinyolo also called for stronger regulation of private education providers, saying private education remains inaccessible to many poor families.
"Education must be free and available to all," he said, opposing what he described as the privatization, commercialization, marketization, and commodification of education.
He referenced Education International's 2023 Go Public! Fund Education campaign, which calls on African governments, including Liberia, to invest more in education, teachers, infrastructure, and teaching and learning resources.
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"Parents must not send their children to a private school because there is no public school around or because the available public school is not of good quality," he said.
Sinyolo proposed what he called a "Triple P" advocacy approach, urging education stakeholders to persuade the government and the Ministries of Education and Finance to increase education funding, push when persuasion is not enough, and press for implementation.
He also outlined what he called the "Five Bigs" for improving education systems: think big, plan big, invest big, act big, and achieve big.
"Have ambitious goals for your education system," he said. "Train your teachers well. Train them continuously. Pay them well."
The workshop was intended to validate research findings and develop recommendations to strengthen education financing and protect public education in Liberia.
Both NTAL and Education International pledged to continue working with government, civil society, parents, and students to ensure every Liberian child has equal opportunity to realize their dreams through quality public education.
The two workshops brought together key stakeholders in the education sector, including representatives from line ministries, agencies, and commissions, as well as private institutions.
