As the need to accommodate volunteer teachers in various public high schools across the country remains a major challenge, Montserrado County Electoral District #1 Representative, Rugie Yatu Barrie, has identified with over 200 volunteer teachers in cash and kind in her district. Accordingly, despite government’s strides in gradually placing all committed and dedicated volunteer teachers on the national payroll aimed at recognizing their efforts, there are still gaps of many classroom teachers at various public high schools, who are still teaching without pay. As a result of this demotivating factor hampering the country’s education sector, some citizens who aspire to see quality education being passed on to the emerging generation by well-satisfied and motivated teachers have been making some contributions to several volunteer teachers. On Wednesday, July 24, 2024, with just two days to the celebration of Liberia’s 177th Independence Day, Honorable Barry toured her constituency and presented bags of rice and cash to over two hundred (200) of the volunteer teachers in the district. According to the lawmaker, the gesture was her way of acknowledging the countless efforts of those teachers, and sharing the little she had with them ahead of the Independence Day. “Without you our dear teachers, our kids would have no reason to go to school to prepare themselves for the future. Imagine you’re volunteering your services to the nation through the classroom; I don’t want to imagine the exceptional time and energy your all would put in if you’re placed on the payroll,” she said. The Montserrado County Lawmaker further lauded the teachers for their sacrifices made over the years in building the human capacity of school going kids in the district on a voluntary basis. At the same time, Rep. Barry pledged to work along with the Ministry of Education (MOE) to have the over 200 volunteer teachers placed on the government’s payroll before the end of fiscal year 2024. “You don’t have to explain to me in detail the tough times you go through. You have your families and others who depend on you because they see you as a working man or woman and this is why I am going to advocate on your behalf to the Ministry of Education to include you on the national payroll before this year ends,” the lawmaker added. Meanwhile, the volunteer teachers, upon receiving the items thanked Representative Barry for the kind gesture and promised to professionally continue their service to the country amid the many challenges. “Teaching in the rural areas as we are doing is very difficult. The working environment is discouraging, poor learning environment for the students, no easy access to the internet then worst of all, we’re volunteering without a definite time best known to us to get on the government payroll,” James Mulbah, who is one of the volunteer teachers noted. At the same time, the teachers said it would be a dream turned reality if the Ministry of Education considers the placement of their names on government’s payroll through the advocacy of Representative Barry. Macpherson C. Marbiah writes/0886442881-0777250370
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