The free-flow of traffic on Tubman Boulevard came to a snail pace yesterday, when students, mainly from William V.S. Tubman High School took to the streets of Monrovia violently demanding that their teachers return to class as the ongoing strike the Monrovia Consolidated School System Teachers Association (MCSSTA) led thus disrupting normal learning for a second consecutive day. The students’ action continue on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, as they blocks streets while chanting slogans and waving placards with reading calling for government quick intervention to address the impasse. They called on the government to swiftly address the grievances of their teachers, warning that failure to do so could lead to wider disruptions across the capital. Some of the students threatened to interfere with normal school activities at other institutions if their demands were not met. They later resulted into stones throwing at officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) who were instructed to prevent the situation from growing further. The MCSSTA has outlined four key demands, including salary adjustments for employees based on academic qualifications, full-time employment for volunteer teachers and implementation of a promised salary increment in line with President Joseph Boakai’s State of the Nation Address.
In the addressed, the president spoke of increased budgetary support for the MCSS.
The teachers have vowed to continue their strike until these concerns are addressed.
The protest by students adds pressure on the Boakai administration, which is already facing criticism over its handling of the education sector.
In a statement, the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC)-Council of Patriots (CDC-CoP) expressed solidarity with the striking teachers, accusing the government of neglecting the financial well-being of educators, while prioritizing personal interests.
The group demanded immediate payment of salaries and arrears, describing the situation as an “insult to the nation’s future.”
As of yesterday and with no resolution in sight, public school students across Monrovia remain out of classrooms and the potential for further unrest looms if the government does not take urgent action to address the crisis.
Meanwhile, some officers of the LNP have come under scrutiny for reportedly using teargas to disperse students from public schools, who took to the streets on Tuesday to protest their teachers’ go-slow actions, which are linked to the government’s failure to pay the teachers’ salaries.
Scores of students were in distress as they were affected by the police teargas, with some appearing helpless in the chaotic scene.
The protest, which later blocked the main roads between the Capitol Building and the Executive Mansion, was fueled by growing frustration over the ongoing issue of unpaid teachers, which the students argue is severely impacting their education.
The students were demanding that the government immediately place their teachers on the payroll, a move they say is crucial to ensuring that their teachers receive proper compensation and that the quality of education does not continue to suffer. Courtesy: smartnews