By Jamesetta D. Williams
MONROVIA–The Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) has announced October 6, 2026, as the official date for the reopening of schools, citing ongoing renovation works at several schools across the system.
The announcement was made during a Ministry of Information press conference in Monrovia, where MCSS Superintendent Dr. Augurie E. Stevens and other officials addressed a number of issues, including school registration, fees, the teachers’ go-slow, salary adjustments, school renovations, and the introduction of a cashless payment system.
Dr. Stevens said education remains a major priority under the government’s ARREST Agenda, with the “E” representing education.
“I want you to know that education is not a football. But because of the ARREST Agenda, it sits at the center of the government, and the ‘E’ stands for Education,” Dr. Stevens said.
She said the national government has committed additional resources in the current fiscal year to help stabilize the academic calendar and improve learning conditions in schools.
According to the MCSS Superintendent, education from early childhood through sixth grade remains free, with no tuition or registration fees.
She said students from seventh through ninth grade, which constitute Junior High School, will pay US$3,000 for the academic year, while Senior High School students will pay US$3,250.
Dr. Stevens stressed that there would be no additional fees for parents. “There are no PTA fees. There are no additional charges,” she said, adding that the behavioral bond is also free and students will not be charged for it.
On the delayed reopening of schools, Dr. Stevens said the decision to open in October instead of September was due solely to ongoing renovations. “We are opening school in October because of the continuous renovation,” she said.
She maintained that the delay was not attributable to any other reason and that the renovation works were necessary to ensure better conditions for students when schools reopen.
The MCSS administration also disclosed that three high schools are being developed as model schools and encouraged members of the press to visit the institutions to observe the ongoing renovation works.
Newport Junior and Senior High School was also identified among the schools where registration is ongoing.
The administration said registration is being conducted ahead of the reopening date to reduce pressure on parents and students.
The MCSS leadership also addressed the ongoing concerns involving teachers and their decision to engage in a go-slow.
Dr. Stevens said MCSS currently has 24,159 teachers enrolled on its payroll, while 4,509 volunteer teachers are also enrolled on the MCSS payroll.
She argued that the teachers’ go-slow would not result in additional teachers being placed on the payroll or speed up the process of moving salary-related line items through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
Instead, she said, the action takes away instructional time from students.
“The go-slow does not add a single teacher to the payroll. What it does is take away instructional time from 19,000 children,” Dr. Stevens said.
She acknowledged that teachers have legitimate grievances, particularly those who have upgraded their academic qualifications by obtaining bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Dr. Stevens said the administration is working with the Civil Service Agency and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning on a salary review and adjustment process.
She said the objective is to ensure that salary scales reflect the qualifications teachers have earned and the responsibilities they carry in the classroom.
In response to questions from journalists, MCSS officials said the teachers’ concerns were not new and had been followed by the media for years.
They said the Teachers Association remains open to negotiations and suggested that the parties could return to the Memorandum of Understanding signed under the previous administration and negotiate a new agreement based on work performance.
The officials also appealed to teachers to remain patient while the government works on the salary issue.
They said the government is seeking a sustainable approach to salary adjustments rather than making salary increases that cannot be maintained consistently.
“We are trying to do this in a way that the government can make sustainable arrangements,” the official said.
The MCSS leadership further urged teachers to return to the classroom and avoid actions that could further affect students’ learning. “Let us work together in unity for our children,” the officials said.
MCSS also disclosed that it has introduced a cashless payment system through a partnership with UBA Bank. Under the arrangement, parents will be able to pay school fees through the bank rather than relying on direct cash payments at schools.
The administration said the initiative is intended to make the payment process easier and more convenient for parents. Registration for the new academic year remains ongoing.
Dr. Stevens also expressed satisfaction with the performance of MCSS students in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
She said the results received so far have been encouraging and have motivated the administration to continue its efforts to improve the school system.
She thanked the Ministry of Information for providing the platform and expressed appreciation to members of the press, parents, teachers, and students for their continued support. “Together, we will see this through,” Dr. Stevens said.
She concluded by calling for continued commitment to the education of Liberian children and asked for God’s blessings upon the children and the Republic of Liberia.
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