Leaders in Teaching Program in Liberia launches with Inaugural Partner Workshop

The Leaders in Teaching (LIT) initiative began in Liberia last week with a partner workshop to strengthen the quality of secondary education teaching and learning nationwide. The program will focus on teacher recruitment, high-quality training, and school leadership—motivating educators and preparing them to deliver relevant instruction that equips young people with the 21st-century skills they need to access dignified and fulfilling work opportunities.

LIT Liberia seeks to reach over 2,000 schools across the country, including all of Liberia’s public and community secondary schools and many of Liberia’s private schools, thereby reaching all of Libera’s public school students and many private school students. The program plans to directly benefit an estimated 50,000 public secondary school students, who will gain work-readiness skills through after-school, club-based activities. It aims also to provide sustainable accelerated learning opportunities to out-of-school youth, helping them reenter the education system and connect to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

In Liberia, the program will prioritize inclusion and gender equity, addressing the needs of marginalized young women and learners with disabilities in underserved communities. It will also place a strong emphasis on improving access, completion, and learning outcomes in STEM fields, preparing young people for future opportunities.

Leaders in Teaching is an initiative of the Mastercard Foundation. In Liberia, it is led by Education Development Center (EDC), in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education, and implemented by a consortium of national partners and international partners.

The work builds on EDC’s long record of success in collaborating with the Government of Liberia and local partners on education and youth development in Liberia.

“Student futures, not just in Africa but around the world, depend on qualified and well-equipped teachers and school leaders. By coordinating LIT with the Ministry and local partners in Liberia, we’re investing across the teacher lifecycle—recruitment, training, leadership, and professional growth—so more young people complete secondary school ready to work and thrive,” said EDC’s Country Director Steve Kamanzi.

By aligning with national priorities in teacher development, inclusive learning, and strengthened school leadership, the Liberia partnership extends the broader vision of LIT across Africa.