Liberia: teachers urged to 'stand up for your rights'

Teachers have been challenged to take the lead in speaking out against barriers undermining the teaching profession during a three-day training workshop on ‘Teacher Effectiveness’ held in Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia.

The interest for teachers and their profession has considerably decreased over the years to the teachers’ detriment, noted Ellen Varfley, leader of the National Teachers’ Association of Liberia (NTAL), an Education International (EI) affiliate, during the workshop held on 7 September.

Varfley went on saying that it was time for teachers to stand up for their rights and emphasised that the educational system would “suffer an unprecedented setback” if people were to carry on “disrespecting teachers despite the immense contributions they make to society”.

She urged colleagues to use skills gained during the workshop to enhance effective teaching and learning in and outside the classroom, and get better educational outcomes.

The EI Africa Regional Coordinator Emmanuel Fatoma also described the workshop, organised by EI in collaboration with the NTAL, as a “challenge for change” in the country’s education sector.

He indicated that this event was to be seen as a complement to Government of Liberia's efforts aiming to reform the national educational system.

The workshop brought together 50 participants, including NTAL officials, teachers and principals of both public and private schools from the Liberia’s 15 political sub-divisions. The education unionists discussed educational reforms, policy proposals for quality education and issues affecting the education sector and perspectives for the future of education.