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Liberia: Education Ministry suspends academic activities for census
Mar 11, 2008
by Michael Kpayili / Staff Writer

In order to implement the smooth operations of the 2008 National Housing and Population Census in Liberia, the Ministry of Education has announced a two week suspension of all academic activities in both private and public schools throughout the country beginning March 10 to March 31, 2008.

Although the census is expected to run from March 21-27, other preparations as it relates to the planning and preparation of the recruitment and training of census workers constitute major cause of the suspension of normal academic activities.

A press release issued in Monrovia by the Ministry of Education revealed that classes would resume Monday, March 31 and is calling on all county and District Education Officers to support the census program and ensure full compliance.


The Director-general of the Liberia Institute for Statistic and Geo Services (LIGIS), Dr. Edward Liberty attributes the closure of learning institutions in Liberia as a right decision in an appropriate direction. He said most of the qualified individuals expected to conduct the upcoming census are all teachers and impeding rural education during the census programs would be at the disadvantage to segments of the learning conditions in Liberia.

Several parents and Guardians have expressed disappointment in the decision reached by the Ministry of Education. Mr. Peter Seton, a parent of two students attending a local private school in Liberia said the two weeks suspension of classes would affect the smooth academic calendar of the school year in Liberia. He said the abrupt closure of learning institutions may pose serious psychological effect on the students.

The Ministry of Education has also announced an additional two weeks to the learning calendar of the academic school year in Liberia.

The 2008 National Housing and Population Census is Liberia’s first census exercise in 24 years. The last census was conducted in 1984 with the population around 2.5 to 3 million people.

About the Author:
Michael Kpayili is a staff writer for TheLiberianTimes.com. Kpayili has written articles which have appeared on TheLiberianTimes.com since late 2005, and his hard hitting investigative journalism has earned the respect of the Liberian press community.

Michael Kpayili may be contacted at mkpayili@theliberiantimes.com.