Africa-Press – Liberia. Parents of children enrolled in public schools across Zota District are appealing to the Ministry of Education (MOE) to ease the financial burden of early childhood education by reducing the current registration fee from L$3,500 to at least L$1,500.
By Edwin N. Khakie
Zota District, Bong County-September 25, 2025: The Early Childhood Division of the MOE, covering Nursery, Kindergarten I, and Kindergarten II, caters to children between the ages of three and five. According to the Ministry, the L$3,500 registration fee covers identification cards, instructional materials, and other administrative costs. It is the highest charged category in public schools nationwide.
In contrast, elementary school students pay L$100, junior high students pay L$2,000, and senior high students are charged L$3,000.
For many parents in rural Zota, who depend heavily on subsistence farming, the L$3,500 fee is unaffordable, especially for families with multiple children in school. Several parents told this paper that the cost is forcing children to stay home even though the new academic year is already underway.
“We are not against paying fees, but L$3,500 is just too much for us. Most of us have three to five children in school, and we can barely afford it,” one concerned parent lamented.
The parents stressed that education is a fundamental right, not a privilege, and urged the government to make early childhood education more inclusive. They warned that unless immediate steps are taken, the MOE’s goal of providing quality, accessible, and equitable education for all Liberian children will remain out of reach.
They are therefore calling for a reduction in the registration fee to L$1,500, which they say would strike a balance between supporting the education system and easing the burden on struggling rural families.
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