Harper, Maryland County – Hopes for improved learning conditions at Harper Demonstration School have been dashed after the Dorboh Bedell Foundation announced its withdrawal from an ongoing renovation project, leaving more than 500 students facing an uncertain academic future.
The Foundation, which had already committed funds and commenced repair works on the historic campus, said its decision followed interference from local education authorities. During a press briefing, the organization explained that the Maryland County office of the Ministry of Education halted the project, insisting that all construction must align with government-approved procedures.
An initial assessment by the Foundation placed the cost of damages at over US$41,000, prompting its Chief Executive Officer to mobilize resources and begin renovations. The initiative had sparked optimism among residents and students who welcomed the long-overdue rehabilitation of the school, which has been in disrepair for decades.
But Harper District Coordinator Sawodey Doe revealed that work was suspended midway after the County Superintendent directed the Foundation to stop, citing the availability of government funds to undertake the project.
“Since the order to stop, neither the Ministry of Education nor the Superintendent has resumed renovation as promised,” Doe lamented, adding that repeated efforts to engage local authorities yielded no progress.
According to Doe, the Foundation has now been forced to remove its materials from the site. “We are not disappointed because we are pulling out our materials, but because we are leaving behind a school that hosts over a thousand children—children who represent the future of our country. Their future has been dashed as this work comes to an end,” he told reporters. The Foundation also criticized the Ministry’s insistence on following government procedures despite the project being privately financed.
“We are spending our own money to help these kids. If we had followed their so-called procedures, the work would have been delayed indefinitely, and our children would still not have a school building,” Doe argued.
Harper Demonstration High School is one of Liberia’s oldest government-run institutions but has suffered decades of neglect. Its classrooms are described as unsafe, with leaking roofs and cracked walls creating hazardous conditions for learners.
The situation has become even more critical, as the building was already deroofed when renovation stopped. With the new academic year fast approaching, parents and students remain uncertain whether the school will reopen on time.
Community members fear the setback could further undermine educational opportunities in Maryland County, where Harper Demonstration serves as one of the few accessible public schools. Efforts by journalists to obtain a response from county education authorities have so far proven unsuccessful.
