further weakened an education system that was still recovering from the civil crisis.
Even before the coming of Ebola, too many of our students were struggling; too few of our students were excelling. After the disruptions to students learning since last September, MoE is determined to give students enough time to learn, and to give teachers more equipment and support. Therefore, MoE today announces extensive plans to deliver books, training and other resources to schools in time for a September resumption of the normal academic calendar.
The optimum school calendar
The school calendar will be adjusted to revert to the normal cycle, giving students more days in school. This will also mean that the rainy season, a real challenge for poor, rural children and their families, will not disrupt schooling year on year. Therefore, the condensed 2015 school year which began in February will end on 31 July. On September 7, the 2015/2016 school year will begin. Basic and secondary schools will run until 12 July, for a total of 210 school days, whilst ECD schools will run until August 12, for a total of 220 school days. MoE has today issued a bold list of initiatives which will be implemented by the time teaching resumes.
Rapid improvements by September
Today MoE issues a list of 17 commitments to be fulfilled by the time schools re-open. Notable amongst them are that MoE, working with its partners, will distribute more than 1 million textbooks and 1.3 million supplementary readers; distribute instructional materials (globes, geometry sets, science posters, magnets, and instructional materials) to public basic education schools; and, provide intensive training for more than 4000 teachers, including training in the use of the new books and professional development workshops. A full list of 17 commitments is a
As part of this drive to consolidate student learning after Ebola, the Ministry is excited to announce a new Science Club program. The Science Clubs will run on Saturdays and be taught by expert teachers specializing in each subject. They will be open to all Grade 9 and 12 students, public and non-public alike, and will help to prepare students for WAEC Examinations
Enrolment and promotions for 2015/2016
For the 2015/2016 school year, students will enrol in the grade appropriate to their learning to date. Students in Grades 1– 8, 10 and 11 may promoted on the basis of attainment, as judged by their school: if they have met the learning objectives, then they will be promoted. Students who have not met the learning objectives will not be promoted. This will give them a full cycle to learn what they need to for the school year just passed.
The Ministry has taken the difficult decision to delay WAEC Examinations, after considering the poor pass rates in previous years – years which did not see the disruptions and hardships caused by Ebola. WAEC and WASSCE Examinations for school-based candidates will be held in May 2016, giving time to ensure that students can achieve the best possible results. Students who were enrolled in Grades 9 and 12 during the 2015 condensed school year will continue in that grade, will benefit from the Science Clubs as they prepare for 2016 exams. In the second half of the 2015/2016 school year, the Grade 12 curriculum will also incorporate life skills and career skills. Fees paid in anticipation of 2015 WAEC Exams will be credited to students for 2016.
A commitment from the Minister and MoE
These measures to improve schooling after Ebola are not undertaken lightly. The Minister of Education, George K. Werner, today spoke to the press about the scale of the challenges we face. In the Minister’s words: “If we do not act, the next generation will be far, far less educated than the current one, and ill-prepared to lead our country.”
Full list of measures and the commitments made by the Ministry of Education follows.

Improving schooling after Ebola: key measures
Before schools resume in September, MoE, with its partners, will fulfil the following commitments.
Provide new books to students
1. Distribute 1 million textbooks for Grades 5-9 in the four core subjects (Math, Science, Social Studies, & English) for public schools. Teacher training will complement the distribution of books.
2. Distribute 1. 3 million supplementary readers for Grades 1-4 nationwide to all public basic education schools.
3. MoE will work with the MoJ to stop the selling of public school materials.
4. Procure new textbooks for senior secondary students. Out of the Ebola Emergency Response Fund from the World Bank, 3.2 million has been allocated to Ministry of Education for the procurement and distribution of secondary textbooks for public schools. Depending on when the Ministry of Justice signs the MOU, between now and October 2015, textbooks for Grades 10 – 12 (in the six core subjects – Math, English, Economics, Biology, Physics, Chemistry), will arrive in Liberia for distribution.
Provide additional training to support our teachers
5. Train four thousand teachers in public schools in the use of the textbooks and associated curriculum.
6. Work with LTTP to run cluster workshops for teachers from some schools in selected counties.
7. Work with LTTP to run some workshops on reading for Grades 4-6.
8. Work with LTTP to run some Continuous Professional Development workshops.
Provide new learning resources for students
9. Provide a variety of instructional materials (globes, geometry sets, science posters, magnets, and instructional materials) to public basic education schools.
10. Work with UNICEF to provide 700,000 teaching and learning kits to schools across Liberia, benefiting over 750, 000 children and about 44, 000 teachers in 4, 460 schools.
Establish Science Clubs: great teaching by subject specialists
11. Science Clubs in all public basic and secondary schools will be initiated and conducted every Saturday beginning October 2015 for Grades 9 & 12. MoE will work with specialists from WAEC to develop aptitude tests for nearly 400 subject (Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Reading Comprehension and Writing) teachers who will teach in the Saturday Clubs. The clubs will be open to all students, public and non-public alike.
Work to improve WASH facilities
12. The WASH Cluster, in collaboration with MoE, MoPW, LWS, MoH, MoFDP and our donor partners, will be going to all counties/school districts from June 20 to June 30, 2015 to validate the TOR and Guidelines to implementing The WinS project (rapidly). The School Health Department of MoE received $60,000 US from UNICEF to perform this exercise. GSA will be providing three (3) cars to transport the three (3) teams, grouped six (6) members per team.
Address payroll issues
13. Work with the Civil Service Agency, USAID and its implementing partners and LIBTELCO to close the supplementary payroll for teachers and develop legal and procedural links to identify and pay the right teachers, principals, CEOs, and DEOs.
14. Complete the vetting and payment for private school teachers and staff (related to school closures during the Ebola crisis).
Assessment of other parts of the system
15. With the support of The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), develop a Preparedness Plan for Emergency Response in Schools – providing school need assessment tools based on lessons learned from Ebola.
16. The Joint Education Sector Review will be conducted to assess performance of the operational plan and provide strategic direction for the next two – five years.
Work on improvements to school buildings and facilities.
17. Complete a comprehensive assessment for schools needing repairs and generate information for desks and chairs to identify actual need for county-based interventions.