MONROVIA, Liberia — The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Education has reintroduced civic education into the national curriculum for primary schools, nearly two decades after the subject was removed from the country’s formal basic education system.
The initiative, led by the Ministry of Education, is intended to equip Liberian children with a stronger understanding of citizenship, national institutions, civic responsibilities, and the values needed to participate meaningfully in the country’s development.
The government also launched standardized civics textbooks for primary schools with support from Wahala Publishing Company. The materials are expected to provide teachers and students with a consistent framework for teaching and learning civic education nationwide.
The reintroduction was announced on Monday, August 24, during Liberia’s 179th National Flag Day celebration at the Executive Pavilion in Monrovia, held under the theme “From Heritage to Hope: The Flag That Unites Us.”
The new civic education program will introduce students to the structure and functions of the three branches of government—the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary—as established by the Liberian Constitution. It will also cover the responsibilities of national and local government institutions, citizens’ rights and duties, and the various ways citizens can participate in governance.
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai welcomed the return of civics, describing it as a necessary part of preparing young Liberians for the responsibilities they will eventually assume as voters, parents, professionals, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and public servants.
“The Republic we hope to build tomorrow is already sitting in our classrooms today,” President Boakai said.
He stressed that education must go beyond academic achievement, arguing that students must also develop integrity, respect for the law, personal responsibility, and a commitment to the common good.
The President further called for civic education to move beyond memorizing information and become part of students’ everyday conduct.
“Knowing is not the same as doing,” he said, encouraging students to demonstrate the values contained in the National Pledge through respect for others, obedience to the law, rejection of violence, protection of national symbols, hard work, and service to Liberia.
President Boakai also urged parents, teachers, communities, government institutions, and public officials to demonstrate the principles of responsible citizenship in their own conduct. He noted that children learn not only from what they are taught in school but also from the behavior they observe among adults.
The President connected the initiative to his broader national message of “Think Liberia, Love Liberia, and Build Liberia,” saying civic education would help young people better understand the country’s history and heritage while preparing them to take responsibility for Liberia’s future.
Officially announcing the return of civics and the launch of the new textbooks, Education Minister Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah said the program represents a significant investment in developing responsible and engaged citizens.
Minister Jallah acknowledged that literacy and numeracy remain fundamental components of basic education but emphasized that students also need the civic knowledge, values, and skills required to contribute meaningfully to national life.
She called on teachers and school administrators to make civic education practical and interactive rather than limiting it to classroom theory. According to the Minister, students should be encouraged to ask questions, discuss issues, work together to solve problems, and relate civic lessons to situations within their schools and communities.
The government says the initiative forms part of its broader human capital development efforts under the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) and is expected to help shape a generation of Liberians with a deeper understanding of their rights, responsibilities, national institutions, and role in building the country.
