A Liberian educator has called for sweeping reforms within the country’s educational system.
By Lincoln G. Peters
Monrovia, September 3, 2025: Renowned Liberian educator and clergyman Rev. Alphonso B. Korleh has warned that Liberia risks “irreversible damage” to its educational sector within the next five years if sweeping reforms are not enacted immediately.
Speaking in an interview with Journalists on Monday, September 1, 2025, Rev. Korleh raised serious concerns over Liberia’s rapidly declining education sector, while describing Liberia’s education crisis as “alarming and unacceptable.”
Rev. Korleh, who holds a master’s degree in educational leadership and brings over two decades of experience to the classroom, urged the government and stakeholders to work collectively to strengthen the educational system and produce excellence.
“Many of our high school students are performing at levels far below standard—some as low as elementary school. The few who are excelling are the exception, not the norm, and they are being drowned out by a system that continues to fail the majority,” he noted.
Rev. Korleh took direct aim at education policymakers, accusing them of offering surface-level solutions to deeply entrenched problems.
“Our leaders are playing politics with education. We don’t need more speeches — we need action. Lip service won’t fix failing schools,” he noted.
He called for stronger oversight and accountability within the Ministry of Education, including the establishment of a functioning complaints department to address ongoing policy failures and systemic gaps.
“When the education system fails, it’s not just numbers and policies at stake — it’s human destinies,” he cautioned.
Commenting on his passion for education, he disclosed that his commitment to education stems from a deeper mission of service.
He emphasized the transformative power of education, describing knowledge as “the most powerful currency” that determines the destiny of nations.
“Teaching is not just my profession; it is my calling,” he said. “Like Christ, who taught with purpose, I believe in using education as a tool to uplift and empower.” -Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
