Teachers’ Go-Slow Sparks Student Protest

BUSHROD ISLAND, Liberia, October 15, 2026 — Hundreds of public school students took to the streets of Bushrod Island on Wednesday to protest teachers’ prolonged absence from classrooms amid an unresolved dispute between the government and educators under the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS).

The protest began around Caldwell Junction and spread to major roads, disrupting traffic and business as students demanded the immediate resumption of classes.

Chanting “No teachers, no road!” the students expressed frustration over losing more than three weeks of regular classroom instruction.

Students from D. Twe Memorial High School in New Kru Town and Boatswain High School joined the demonstration.

“We have no teachers to teach us. We want our teachers back in class,” some protesters told journalists, urging the government to resolve the dispute before their academic progress suffers further setbacks.

The demonstration comes amid an ongoing go-slow by MCSS teachers over unresolved salary adjustments, the employment of volunteer teachers, payroll concerns and demands for improved working conditions.

The industrial action reportedly began on September 8, 2026, after months of complaints about the government’s alleged failure to implement commitments in a March 27, 2025, agreement with the teachers’ association.

According to the Monrovia Consolidated School System Teachers’ Association, repeated engagements with the government have produced no satisfactory results.

The association also claims that teachers are sometimes compelled to purchase basic instructional materials, including lesson-plan books, attendance books and chalk, using their personal funds.

The prolonged dispute has disrupted academic activities across several public schools, leaving students uncertain about their studies and examination preparations.

Wednesday’s protest underscores growing frustration among students, who are appealing to the Ministry of Education and MCSS administration to urgently address the teachers’ grievances and restore normal classroom instruction.

With the academic year still in its early stages, students fear that continued disruption could affect syllabus completion, examination preparation and overall academic performance.

Students insist their education should not become a casualty of the unresolved dispute between teachers and the government.