NATIONAL NEWS
MONROVIA – Liberia is hosting the Executive Leadership of the African Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities (AFTRA) in Monrovia, as African education authorities intensify efforts to strengthen the professional standards, regulation and development of teachers across the continent.
By: Trokon S. Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
The Executive Meeting, which opened in Monrovia, is bringing together education and teaching-regulatory officials to examine how African countries prepare teachers, regulate the profession, provide continuous professional development and ensure that educators meet clearly defined professional standards.
The meeting places a critical question at the heart of the discussions: What should every parent be able to expect from the person standing in front of their child’s classroom? For Liberia, the question is particularly significant as the country works to improve the quality of its education system and strengthen support for teachers already serving in classrooms.
Minister of Education Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah told delegates that professionalization must go beyond preparing people to enter the teaching profession.
She said attention must also be given to teachers already in the classroom through continuous professional development, quality assurance, professional standards and opportunities for career growth.
The Minister’s position highlights a broader challenge facing education systems across Africa—ensuring that professional standards are not merely established on paper but are consistently applied and supported by effective systems.
For Liberia, the AFTRA meeting offers an opportunity to learn from the experiences of other African countries while contributing to a continental discussion on how to build stronger and more accountable teaching professions.
Day One featured remarks from Deputy Minister for Fiscal Affairs at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Anthony G. Myers, as well as addresses from AFTRA leadership and deliberations by the Executive Board.
The meeting also forms part of preparations for Liberia to host the 14th AFTRA Conference and Roundtable in 2027. Minister Jallah has challenged Liberia to use the period before the major gathering to demonstrate meaningful progress in strengthening the teaching profession.
The AFTRA engagement comes as African countries seek practical approaches to improving teacher quality and, ultimately, student learning outcomes.
Discussions in Monrovia are therefore expected to focus not only on policy and regulation but also on whether professional standards are translating into stronger support for teachers and better results in classrooms.
As the meeting continues, Liberia faces the task of turning its participation in the continental initiative into concrete reforms at home, while AFTRA member countries confront the wider challenge of making teacher professionalization a practical reality rather than simply another policy commitment.
