Liberia’s public education crisis has escalated into a political confrontation, with former Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Koijee accusing Senator Abraham Darius Dillon of wielding political influence over the Education Ministry while students struggle with prolonged teacher absences.
In his Oracle News Daily opinion column – The Mask Is Off, Koijee alleges that political patronage and conflicts of interest have undermined the country’s education system, questioning how increased government funding has translated into little visible relief for students attending public schools.
The allegations come as students from several government-run high schools in Monrovia and other parts of Liberia took to the streets to demand the return of teachers who, according to Koijee’s account, have been absent for more than three weeks.
The protests underscore the mounting pressure on Liberia’s education authorities to address classroom disruptions, teacher availability and the delivery of public services to families who depend on government schools.
Koijee places much of the blame on Dillon, a senator for Liberia populous Montserrado County, who has built a public profile around calls for accountability and opposition to corruption. The former mayor alleges that the senator’s political influence has compromised decision-making at the Education Ministry.
The column, however, does not independently establish that Dillon caused the teacher absences or that public funds were misappropriated.
Budget Increase, Questions Over Results Â
At the center of Koijee’s allegations is Education Minister Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, whom he describes as Dillon’s sister-in-law. He alleges that Dillon recommended her appointment to President Joseph Boakai and helped secure her confirmation by the Liberian Senate on Feb. 6, 2024.
Koijee also points to an increase in the Education Ministry’s budget to $136.3 million, arguing that the additional funding has not produced commensurate improvements in public education.
The central question raised by the allegations is one of public accountability: whether Liberia’s education spending is delivering tangible improvements in teaching, learning conditions and access to education.
For students whose families cannot afford private schooling, prolonged teacher absences can mean lost instructional time, disrupted examinations and a widening gap between children from wealthier households and those dependent on public education.
 Koijee’s criticism extends beyond the minister’s appointment to what he describes as a broader pattern of political interference in the ministry’s leadership.
He alleges that Dr. Samuel G. Toe, appointed deputy minister for planning, research and development on April 3, 2024, was pushed out because his professional experience threatened the interests of politically connected individuals. Senator Dillon and the Ministry of Education did comment on the allegations when contacted. The Senator’s phone didn’t connect.
