Monrovia — The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Education (MOE), has officially launched the 2025/2026 Annual School Census, a nationwide initiative aimed at improving education planning and delivery across the country.
By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway, Emmanuel.weedeeconway@frontpageafricaonline.com
The census was launched at the Ministry over the weekend.
Speaking at a press conference launch, Deputy Education Minister for Planning, Research, and Development, Thomas M. Parker, described the census as a “critical national exercise” that will provide comprehensive and up-to-date data on schools, students, teachers, infrastructure and learning conditions.
The exercise, led under the supervision of Education Minister Jarso Maley Jallah, will run from March 27 to April 27, 2026, covering early childhood, primary, secondary schools and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions across all 15 counties and 125 education districts.
Unlike previous years, Deputy Minister Parker disclosed this year’s census adopts a school-based data collection approach.
School principals and registrars have been trained by central ministry staff to gather information directly at their respective institutions.
The data, he indicated, will then be transported by Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation officers, along with District and County Education Officers, to designated county data hubs for digital processing and analysis.
According to Mr. Parker, a recent nationwide assessment confirmed that County Education Offices are well-equipped to serve as data hubs, making the process more efficient and cost-effective.
Mr. Parker asserted that the data collected will play a key role in advancing major education reforms, including equitable school funding, improved teacher deployment and stronger accountability systems.
“Accurate and timely data will allow evidence-based decision-making and ensure resources reach underserved and vulnerable communities,” Mr. Parker told reporters at the news conference.
This year’s census will also place a strong focus on data quality assurance, real-time validation, and the expanded use of digital tools for collection and monitoring.
The Ministry of Education has called on school administrators, community member and local education authorities to fully cooperate throughout the exercise to ensure its success.
The government also acknowledged the continued support of key international partners, including the Global Partnership for Education, World Bank, UNICEF and the European Union as well as local organizations such as HOPE Liberia and KEEP Liberia.
Among other things, the Deputy Minister added that findings from the census will serve as a foundation for building a more equitable, accountable, and data-driven education system in Liberia.
