—-27 Girls Drop Out Amid Broader Educational Challenges in Grand Cape Mount
Porkpa District, Grand Cape Mount County – July 21, 2025 A deepening education crisis has gripped Zimmi Bamballa Public School, the leading high school in Porkpa District, Grand Cape Mount County, as school authorities confirmed that 27 female students were impregnated during the 2024–2025 academic year. The revelation has sparked urgent calls for intervention as stakeholders grapple with the systemic issues undermining girls’ education in rural Liberia.
Speaking during the school’s closing ceremony over the weekend, Principal Boakai Ville described the situation as “alarming,” noting that the majority of the affected students were forced to drop out mid-year. “Most of the girls from both junior and senior high school who began the year were later forced to drop out due to pregnancy,” Ville stated in front of a gathering of parents and community leaders.
The statistic reflects a broader national challenge. According to the 2023 Liberia Demographic and Health Survey (LDHS), approximately 30% of girls aged 15–19 in Liberia have either had a child or are currently pregnant. In rural areas like Grand Cape Mount County, the numbers are significantly higher due to persistent poverty, lack of access to reproductive health services, and weak community awareness.
Beyond the issue of teenage pregnancy, Principal Ville also lamented a critical shortage of instructors, which he said is severely impacting the quality of education and student discipline. “Without enough trained teachers, our efforts to maintain academic standards and structure in the school are constantly undermined,” he added.
Porkpa District Youth Coordinator Augustine S. P. Tengbeh, who served as keynote speaker, pledged to advocate with relevant government ministries to address the district’s education gaps. “Our girls are falling through the cracks. We need urgent investment in education—not just in infrastructure, but in policies that protect and empower our young women,” Tengbeh stressed.
In a bid to inspire academic performance, Tengbeh announced scholarships for all dux students from grades 10 and below, underscoring that education in Grand Cape Mount must be a shared responsibility between parents, communities, and government.
However, the ceremony itself highlighted the institutional neglect facing the district’s schools. Many attendees expressed disappointment at the absence of key education stakeholders from the event. “This was a moment that demanded presence and accountability, not absence,” said one parent. Others described the no-show of officials as “lackadaisical and disheartening.”
Nationally, Liberia continues to struggle with under-resourced schools, especially in rural counties. A 2022 Ministry of Education report estimated that over 6,000 additional trained teachers are needed across the country to meet basic education standards. The report further highlighted rural-urban disparities in teacher deployment, classroom availability, and support services for vulnerable students.
Adding his voice to the call for reform, Prince Allison, Executive Director of the Independent Media of Liberia (IMOL), encouraged parents to prioritize girls’ education, calling it “cardinal to national development.” Allison warned that the country risks long-term stagnation if the gender gap in education is not addressed urgently. He added, “When we fail to educate our girls, we forfeit our future.”
During the ceremony, IMOL presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Youth Coordinator Tengbeh in recognition of his contributions to youth development and educational advocacy in Porkpa District. A visibly moved Tengbeh described the honor as “shocking but encouraging,” vowing to continue championing education and empowerment across the district.
The unfolding crisis at Zimmi Bamballa Public School is a microcosm of Liberia’s rural education dilemma, where young girls are often forced to choose between motherhood and their future. With teenage pregnancy rates rising and teaching staff dwindling, stakeholders warn that the cost of inaction could be catastrophic.
“Every girl who drops out is a story of lost potential,” Principal Ville concluded. “It’s time for a national reckoning on how we protect and uplift the next generation.”
