GANTA, Nimba – After several weeks of dialogue between the Ministry of Education and the National Teacher Association of Liberia over teacher testing in Nimba, the ministry said it finally administered the tests.

The test took place on April 2 at the Sanniquellie Central High School for all teachers in the county, County Education Officer Moses Dologbay reported on Radio Kergheamahn.

“We had a very good attendance of our teachers, and approximately 2,500 teachers were in attendance,” Dologbay said. “The turnout was very much encouraging.”

Dologbay said getting 81% of Nimba’s 3,096 teachers to sit the test is something he sees as a success. He said those of the teachers who did not attend would not be held liable for their actions because there was still some disagreement between the ministry and the teacher’s union.

The CEO called on all teachers to see the test as a means of testing their ability and not as a trap.

Weeks ago, the National Teacher Association of Liberia raised a serious contention against the Ministry of Education after the ministry announced the evaluation test for teachers in four counties, including Nimba, Bong, Grand Bassa and Montserrado.

Two weeks ago, the Secretary General of NTAL, Samuel Johnson, directed teachers in all the 15 counties of Liberia to stay away from any form of testing brought to them by the Minister of Education.

Teachers in Nimba County were warned by the president of the NTAL branch in Nimba, Edward Lonkai, to not to take the test. He added: “Anyone who goes to write the test will be doing it at his or her own risk.”

According to the association, the boycott action is based on the fact that teachers had gone through a series of evaluations that should be enough to prove their competence, including attending the Teacher Training Institutes, as well the registering with the biometric system aimed at tracking teachers’ attendance.

Featured photo courtesy of Julien Harneis