Liberian education reform and enrollment initiatives

Liberia is implementing initiatives to increase school enrollment and improve educational outcomes. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has committed to the ‘Back to My Classroom’ (BTMC) campaign, which seeks to return 250,000 out-of-school children to the classroom by 2029. This plan includes a target to enroll 80,000 children across seven priority counties by 2026, addressing barriers such as poverty, disability, and lack of documentation.

While the country has achieved near gender parity in enrollment, with girls representing approximately 50.3% of learners, high dropout rates persist. Nearly 42% of primary-school-aged girls do not complete sixth grade due to factors including early pregnancy, marriage, and domestic responsibilities.

In response, the Ministry of Education is transitioning toward a strategy that emphasizes retention, protection, and health. A key element of this effort is the US$88.7 million Liberia EXCEL Project, supported by the World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education, which aims to improve literacy and numeracy for approximately 350,000 learners across 2,337 public primary schools.