Leaders in Teaching (LIT) Liberia

Challenge

The secondary education system in Liberia faces significant challenges. Teacher shortages are widespread, particularly in STEM subjects, and only about half of teachers meet the required qualifications. Financial barriers, the low number of female teachers, and limited opportunities for professional development for teachers further weaken the system and reduce student outcomes. More than 6,000 volunteer teachers help fill critical gaps, especially in underserved regions, but most lack formal training. Despite these obstacles, there are significant opportunities to strengthen Liberia’s secondary education system and improve both teaching quality and student learning.

EDC, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation Leaders in Teaching (LIT) Liberia initiative, is addressing these challenges in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and a consortium of national and international organizations. The five-year LIT Liberia project aims to transform secondary education in Liberia by strengthening teacher recruitment, training, leadership, and motivation to build a high-quality and sustainable education system that enables the teaching workforce to equip learners with the skills they need for lifelong learning, employment, and adult life.

LIT Liberia works with Liberian and regional partners to recruit top graduates into teaching, train new and experienced teachers, create positive instructional environments, and elevate the status of teachers. UMOVEMENT, Community Safety Initiative, Self Help Initiative for Sustainable Development, YMCA, Bishop Kun Polytechnic, and The KAZI Group Inc. support all four pillars of initiative. Teach for Liberia supports recruitment; PEN, FREE Liberia, GIRLS Liberia, Mission of Hope for the Disabled, and Women’s Initiative for Self-Help support teacher training.

Key Activities

• Recruit and support new teachers to strengthen the secondary school workforce across Liberia
• Deliver pre-service and in-service teacher training focused on improving teaching quality and learning outcomes—particularly in STEM
• Develop and strengthen school leadership and management capacity to enhance education system performance
• Implement teacher motivation strategies that promote inclusion, gender equity, and support for marginalized youth
• Provide technical quality assurance and oversee curriculum assessment and modification in collaboration with the Ministry of Education
• Conduct capacity-strengthening activities with local partners to promote sustainability and locally led education solutions

Impact

• Strengthens teaching and learning in more than 2,000 schools, including all of Liberia’s public and community secondary schools and many of Liberia’s private schools
• Improves the quality of teaching and learning by supporting teacher recruitment, high-quality training, and professional growth for educators across the country.
• Strengthens school and district leadership to enhance education management, supervision and instructional quality
• Provides work-readiness and life skills to 50,000 students, through after-school, club-based activities that prepare them for future opportunities
• Creates sustainable accelerated learning opportunities for out-of-school youth, helping them to reenter education and connect to employment and entrepreneurship pathways.
• Promotes inclusion and gender equity and improves access to outcomes in STEM fields