The Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Institute (NPHIL) has concluded the timeline and safe school protocols ahead of the reopening.

Reopening schools for 12^th graders only

Only 12^th graders are allowed back to school in preparation for the upcoming WASSC Examinations. The West African Examinations Council members’ countries are in final deliberations on the matter, and thereof, WAEC Liberia shall announce the exact date of the start of the examinations. The tentative period for commencement of WASSCE administration is stated as mid-August 2020.

Only 12^th graders from 707 senior high schools are allowed back to school in preparation for the upcoming WASSCE. The West African Examinations Council members’ countries are in final deliberations on the matter, and thereof, WAEC Liberia shall announce the exact date of the start of the examinations. The tentative period for commencement of WASSCE administration is stated as mid-August 2020.

The week of June 22 to 26, 2020, will serve as an orientation and preparation period that allows the appropriate health authorities and school administrations to finally set up the safe school requirements, as well as train the teachers, support staff, and students on safety measures. Following the orientation, the instructional period or classes will commence on June 29, 2020.

School contact hours and sessions

It is also confirmed that all schools shall operate using the regular school hours to complete the prescribed academic activities for 12^th graders. That all schools should develop a one-shift schedule, to accommodate all students (Morning, Afternoon, and Night shifts) at the same time using multiple classrooms of a minimum number of students in adherence to physical distancing.

Safe School Protocol

In line with keeping students and school administrators, teachers and support staff safe, the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH), the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) and partners have completed a “GUIDELINES FOR SAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS IN THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) OUTBREAK IN LIBERIA” and requires that all schools have necessary safety materials in place.

Finally, the Ministry of Education reminds all that the Coronavirus pandemic is still a crisis and cautions the public to follow the health guidelines and safety protocols provided by the health authorities. The Ministry also encourages all to perform voluntary testing or in the case whereby one feels any symptoms of COVID-19.

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For more information, contact the MoE via email: contact@moe.gol.lr or Facebook Ministry of Education-Liberia / www.moe-liberia.org

See below-supporting links on the guideline for safe school and flipbook for implementing safe school protocols and  

• /wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Flip-book.pdf
• /wp-content/uploads/2020/06/DRAFT-COVID-19_GUIDELINES-FOR-SAFE-SCHOOL-REOPENING.pdf

Through several engagements with education stakeholders and health experts, the Ministry of Education has concluded key policy decisions that guide the next steps of school-administrators, school systems, partners, students and parents, towards reopening.

Ending Academic Year 2019/2020

The Ministry of Education, consistent with its mandate which deems school-activities suspended due to the disruption caused by COVID-19, has further determined based on analysis of the current situation and in consultation with stakeholders that schools will resume instructional activities from the point where they left off upon reopening and commencement of physical academic activities. Additionally, schools shall not charge new fees other than the balances/arrears brought forward from the Academic Year 2019/2020.  The Minister of Education, Prof. Ansu D. Sonii, Sr. maintains that learning is the key reason for schooling and such requires completing the prescribed lesson for a grade level before passing to the next.

Meanwhile, upon the pronouncement by the President, His Excellency Ambassador George Manneh Weah, based on consensus by the West African Examinations Council member countries to administer WASSCE in August and the need to prepare 12^th graders ahead of the examinations, a 2-week period beginning June 8, to June 22, 2020, is required for cleaning and preparation of the physical facilities/school campuses and buildings to accommodate the students. A comprehensive guideline, including School Health, Well-being, and Safety for schools, is in its final stage for release before June 20, 2020.

The Ministry also confirms that an immediate shift in the academic calendar to ensure the completion of the lost instruction period caused by the pandemic shall take effect leading to increased instructional days per week to include Saturday or Sunday in the case of Seven Days Adventist schools and students.

Retention and Promotion

Following the decision to complete the academic curriculum for 2019/2020, all schools shall be required to complete all lessons of the outstanding 60 instructional days lost due to the health crisis within 55 instructional days including Saturdays or Sunday as described above. The assessment reports shall there and then be determined from these periods and that of the previous, prior to COVID 19, and used as the basis for Promotion and Retention Statements of students. In furtherance to the mandate to complete the Academic Curriculum and learning period, the Ministry also insists that retention and promotion of students shall not be determined on the basis of any form of online engagement or distance learning intervention with students during the STAY HOME period. Especially that the Ministry discourages any physical delivery of learning and assessment materials from campuses due to the associated health risks.

Continuous Learning as a refresher study

The Ministry of Education in collaboration with partners continues the broadcasting of a Teaching by Radio program geared towards providing refresher learning for students as they stay away from school due to the health crisis. The program is a thirty minutes interval broadcast of core subjects for grade K1 to Grade 12 that are aired by lesson, by time, and by schedule, by multiple radio stations across the country. The on-air teaching program is intended to provide students the opportunity to access learning content while the necessary measures are instituted to reopen schools across the country.

It is expedient that children continue learning and parents and caregivers are engaged to support children while they remain home. Therefore, the Ministry is conducting a Teaching by Radio program aimed at providing refresher learning for students, keeping them abreast of their studies until official academic activities begin. The Teaching by Radio Program is aired on radio stations across all counties.

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For more information, contact the MoE via email: contact@moe.gol.lr or Facebook Ministry of Education-Liberia / www.moe-liberia.org

Sequel to the above, the Ministry of Education also confirms that NO DATE has been set for the resumption of classes and any physical academic activities. Hence, all schools (Public, Private, Faith-based and Community) shall remain closed until the health authorities deem it safe to reopen and begin physical/on-campus activities.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Education, Prof. Ansu D. Sonii, Sr. commends school-administrations for their continuous effort to ensuring that some curriculum activities continue through distance learning (online) even during the suspension of the academic year and closure of school buildings in Liberia. However, he warns against schools that are asking students to physically take delivery of the learning and assessment materials from campuses, to desist, as such action poses health risks to students.

The Ministry also encourages all students and parents to take advantage of the Teaching by Radio program aired on various radio stations across the country; geared towards providing refresher learning for students as they stay away from school due to the health crisis. The radio program is a thirty minutes interval broadcast of core subjects aired by lesson, by time, and by schedule, for Grade K1 to Grade 12, which provides continuous learning for students in core subjects.

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For more information, contact the MoE via email: contact@moe.gol.lr or Facebook Ministry of Education- Liberia / www.moe-liberia.org

Amid the COVID 19 crisis, the ministry remains engaged in consultation with stakeholders, including secretariats and school systems to develop strategies for reopening of schools when the health crisis subsides, and to ensure that students’ assessment for promotion and retention is merit-based.

Academic Year 2019/2020

The Ministry of Education reiterates that the Academic School Year 2019/2020 remains suspended consistent with the STAY HOME ORDER declaration by the President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency, George Manneh Weah. All physical academic activities, with specific reference to the intervention of schools that are packaging print-copies of the remaining marking period lessons for delivery to students and parents to complete as homework and for subsequent use as reports to determine promotion and retention statements are herein mandated abolished. The ministry has determined that all schools shall complete the remaining lessons in line with the academic curriculum when the crisis subsides and the nation declared safe for the reopening of schools.

Notwithstanding, the Minister, professor Ansu D. Sonii, Sr. commends school-administrations that are using distance learning to keep their students engaged.

Continuous Learning

The Ministry of Education in collaboration with partners is broadcasting a ‘Teaching by Radio’ program geared towards providing refresher learning for students as they stay away from school due to the health crisis. The program is a thirty minutes interval broadcast of core subjects for grades K1 to Grade 12 that are aired by lesson, by time, and by schedule, by multiple radio stations across the country. The on-air teaching program is intended to allow students’ access to learning as Government works to ends the spread of COVID 19 in communities.           

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For more information, contact the Director of Communications – J Maxime Bleetahn 0886565264 / 0777212197

Kindly click the below link to obtain the schedule for the broadcasting of subjects on various radio stations: /wp-content/uploads/2020/04/200419-TEACH-BY-RADIO-SCHEDULE.pdf

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Meanwhile, we encourage all students, school administrators and parents to adhere to all health regulations and protocols shared and described by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL).

Additionally, we are pleased to remind all students and parents to take advantage of the Ministry of Education distance learning project – “Teaching by Radio”, which airs on various radio stations across the country, every week-day. See attached copy of program airing schedule.

For more information, call 1416 or email, contact@moe.gov.lr

Signed by Mr. Maxime Bleetahn – Director, Communications

The Ministry plan consists of the following components:

• Provide continuity of instruction and engage students meaningfully at home through “MoE distance learning project” (utilizing National and community radio stations). Program will provide continual instructional opportunities for all learners at home from Early Childhood Education (ECE) to Secondary Education.
• Prevent the spread of COVID-19 by strengthening pandemic preparedness and response measures in all schools (provide school with thermal sensors and basic hygienic materials).
• Prepare students and teachers to resume regular academic activities at the appropriate time through psychosocial support and behavior change activities

The intent of the program is to professionally engaged our students and teachers as well as parents to remain focused and actively involved in academic activities. Specialized and requisite expertise have collectively partnered with the Ministry to provide standardized academic materials for distance learning that will keep children focused, active and engaged academically in line with the National curriculum

The duration of the teaching by radio program is temporarily for 6 weeks but subject to extension predicated upon the advice from the Ministry of Health and National Public Health Institute, Liberia (NPHIL). The teaching will be hosted daily on multiple local radio stations across the country and scream live on social media.

The Ministry is remains concerned about the growth and development of upcoming generation and the sustainability their learning process, at such call on all partners, parents, caregivers, students and the public to support this initiative. 

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For more information please call 1416 or visit our website: www.moe-liberia.org

Or Facebook page: Ministry of Education-Liberia    

(Monrovia, Liberia-March 20, 2020) – Following expert advice of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) and the Ministry of Health, all parents, school administrators, students and partners are hereby informed that all school activities remain suspended beyond the previous stipulated date for reopening. The new anticipated date to resume classes is March 31, 2020.

The current action to extend the closure period of all educational institution is a continuous preventive measure to reduce the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 as the health team completes its active contact-tracing. This remains a difficult time for our country and the world, but we assure all that our highest priority is the safety and well-being of our students and teachers. The Ministry will inform the public as soon as it receives clearance to reopen schools.

In the meantime, the Ministry and partners are developing ways, through media and other forms of technology, to keep students learning whilst they are at home. We encourage families to keep children reading and studying at home, and urge the public to follow the Government’s health advice.

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For more information please call 1416 or visit our website: www.moe-liberia.org Or Facebook page: Ministry of Education-Liberia

March 16, 2020, Liberia – Given a confirmation this morning by the President and his special Health Committee on the status of COVID19 in Liberia, that the Country has as of Friday, March 13, 2020, REGISTERED its First Case, of the Virus, it is hereby instructed that ALL SCHOOLS (INCLUDING INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING) shall suspend classes for one week until Monday, March 23, to allow the Health Team conduct complete surveillance for those said to have arrived on that flight along with all others that they might have come in contact with over the weekend.

This announcement is a proactive approach to minimize the spread beyond normal. Please respect this circular religiously.

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1416 / facebook.com/ministryofeducation-liberia

A National School Inspection Taskforce has been established and given the mandate to inspect and validate the school permits for all schools within the Educational Sector of Liberia. Schools/Institutions and secretariats that are operating under the Ministry of Education are asked to accord the Task team their full support and coordination.

The Ministry of Education also wishes to inform the General Public that the 2018 School Permit Regulation has been revised and an Amended Permit Regulation has been released. Please get a copy from the offices of the Deputy Minister for Instructions, MoE.  

We commend all educational stakeholders for their continual support as we move to improving the educational sector in Liberia.

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For more information, call “1416” or email contact@moe.gov.lr