THE MoE FROWNS ON CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IN SCHOOLS

Monrovia, Today – The Ministry of Education frowns on the action exhibited by one of the administrators (Mr. Dean Juah, Jr) of the Soltiamon Christian School (SCS), located on 19th Street, Sinkor, who applied corporal punishment to one of its female students. Despite series of awareness of the Regulations as reiterated in the Ministry’s 2018/2019 academic calendar banning “Corporal Punishment as beating, canning or any form of punishment that will cause physical and moral injury to a student, the administrator in question did not adhere. The Ministry was reliably informed by the parent of the student about the full incident as narrated by the student, following which, the ministry engaged the school administration to ascertain the facts.

The Ministry remains committed to the Scope and Application of the Act which covers the establishment, management and supervision of all school (Public and Private) and steadfast on the objectives of ensuring to promote and protect the concept of human rights for all students, both with respect to access and opportunity for quality education void of abuse. Sequel to the above and after the conduct of investigation by the relevant bureaus within the Ministry of Education, which indicated a rampant disregard of Ministry of Education policy by the SCS, the following have been derived and sanctioned by the Ministry of Education consistent with its mandate outlined by the Education Reform Act of 2011; that,

1. Soltiamon Christian School immediately removes Mr. Solomon Juah, Jr. from all instructional activities within their School System.

2. Soltiamon Christian School is as a result of the action by its staff fined Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Liberian Dollars (L$350.000.00) payable into Government revenue with the official revenue receipt submitted to the office of the Deputy Minister for Administration on or before July 5, 2019.

3. The cost of medical treatment incurred by the parents of the victim be re-funded by the SCS’ Administration. The receipt of the refund is submitted to the office of the Deputy Minister for Administration as evidence that the refund has been made.

4. SCS is requested to submit the following documents to the office of the Deputy Minister for Instruction for approval before August 5, 2019:

a) Student’s Handbook

b) Teachers and Administration’s handbook

While the Ministry of Education highly appreciates the support of all private providers of education in Liberia, it also has zero-tolerance on violation of established regulations. The Ministry admonishes all education stakeholders to abide by the regulations.

Finally, the Ministry is calling on all school administrations to continue to work together as a team to improve the education system we all endeavor by consciously respecting rules and regulations outlined for the governance of the education sector.

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contact@moe.gov.lr

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