MONROVIA, LIBERIA – Teachers in Maryland County have endured months without pay, prompting a formal apology from Education Minister Dr. Jarso Jallah during her appearance before the House of Representatives’ Committee on Education on Wednesday. Addressing the lawmakers, the Minister explained that delays stemmed from technical challenges such as poor internet connectivity, incorrect mobile money details, and verification issues for recipients.
Dr. Jallah assured the committee that payments for 108 affected teachers in Maryland County were underway, noting that while salaries in United States Dollars were being processed, the Liberian Dollars component was still pending. The Minister pledged to prevent future disruptions and emphasized the government’s commitment to improving the efficiency of salary disbursements.
The hearing was convened in response to a communication from Maryland County District #3 Representative Austin B. Taylor. In his letter to the House, Taylor highlighted that unpaid salaries had left teachers frustrated and forced them to abandon classrooms for over three months. This situation, he said, caused widespread disruption to education in the county.
The situation intensified as the Maryland County Board of Education announced the indefinite closure of all public schools due to the unresolved payment issues. Teachers expressed outrage in a statement issued on January 19, citing broken promises from senior officials. According to the statement, assurances from the Controller General of the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Roland Kanue, and Deputy Director for Employment at the Civil Service Agency, Mr. Kilarie George Ivy, failed to materialize into action. The teachers revealed that they had reluctantly resumed work in December 2024 after being told that their salaries for October through December would be paid by mid-January 2025.
With the government failing to meet the January 16 deadline, educators took a final stand, announcing a total halt to teaching activities on January 20. The strike has left classrooms empty across the county, with no indication of when schools might reopen.
Maryland County lawmakers, including Representatives P. Mike Jury of District #1, Anthony Williams of District #2, and Austin Taylor of District #3, have called on the teachers to resume their duties. They assured the educators that they would continue advocating for their salaries and other welfare concerns.
During the session, which was led by House Education Committee Chairman Nyan Flomo, Minister Jallah reiterated her Ministry’s commitment to resolving the crisis. The hearing was attended by committee members and other Ministry officials, including Deputy Minister for Administration Atty. Nyekeh Forkpa.
