What To Know About The Internal Conflict at the Voinjama Multilateral High School

 Fatorma Dunor- TSM Fellow, Lofa

In early February 2025, Voinjama Multilateral High School—Lofa County's premier government educational institution—became the center of public concern following the transfer of three long-serving teachers by the District Education Officer (DEO). This action was allegedly taken to resolve prolonged internal conflicts between the school's principal and a group of "aggrieved teachers." The DEO action was said to derived from the spirit of restoring calm at the institution. 

 Background

Established in 1978 as one of Liberia's four multilateral high schools, Multilateral High School has provided opportunities for many children to acquire quality education. Before the Liberian civil war, the institution offered both academic education and vocational training (masonry, carpentry, catering, mechanics).

The institution was one of many infrastructures in Lofa County badly affected during the war in Liberia. In 2023, major renovation was carried out on the facility by the government of Liberia through its Swedish partners, introducing six additional major departments for the benefit of students. The TVET department I, one of the six departments, was renovated in 2018 by the Swedish government through the Liberian government.

Leadership Timeline  

 Causes of Internal Conflict

The conflict originated during Erickson Boakai's administration when allegations emerged regarding: Illegal sale of school property (including a Yamaha motorcycle) and Financial impropriety. 

  These allegations against Boakai were not addressed until a new principal was appointed in 2019.  Kesselly Guluma was appointed as Principal by James Zuannah, the then county education officer of Lofa (between 2019-2023), replacing Boakai. Following Kesselly Guluma's appointment in 2019, new allegations arose from teachers identifying as "aggrieved teachers": alleged illegal sale of a 75KVA generator, misuse of school finances, and questions about appointment legitimacy (arguing the Minister of Education, not the CEO, should have made the appointment).

Considering the magnitude of the allegations against Mulbah Robert, the deceased district education officer (DEO) of Voinjama District, instituted a committee to investigate. Unfortunately, investigative findings were not implemented fully due to the death of Robert in 2024.

Earlier 2025, a new set of educational authorities, including John S. Sallay and John F. Kokulo Sr. were appointed CEO of Lofa County and DEO of Voinjama District, respectively. Even with the change of educational authority, the aggrieved teachers still maintain their position for an investigation into the allegationagainst Guluma. 

Responding specifically to some of the allegations, the former Principal, Guluma, appeared on Radio Wologizi (40:02-1:17)  and described those claims as unfounded allegations intended to distract the administration from what is necessary. 

‘’Everywhere you work, even at the presidency, there are people who don’t want to see you do something good,’’ the principal said.

‘’When the committee was set up by the former DEO to investigate, it was discovered that the individual who bought the generator is in Voinjama city and was willing to testify to the committee about whom he bought the generator from. If there were any sales of generators on this campus, it wasn’t done under my administration. I have not sold any property belonging to the institution," he explained. 

Addressing learning activities on campus, the principal said that even though those teachers were transferred, learning is still normal. He disclosed that those teachers were not teaching in the senior high division, and therefore, their absence has not created any learning gap.

Due to the continuous wrangling at the institution between the principal and the aggrieved teachers, the Voinjama District Educational Officer, John F Kokolo Sr, conducted a review of the complaint against Kesselly Guluma. 

Kokulo, with approval from the County Education Officer, John S Sallay, decided to transfer three members of the aggrieved teachers, Isaac Mustapha (Geography teacher), Kpadebah Gibson (Biology teacher), and Moses K.G. Sekowu (Mathematics & Physics teacher) to other schools in the district for the sake of sanity and productivity at the institution. 

This latest action by the current DEO has raised concern across the county as the qualifications and experience of those teachers appointed to replace the transferred teachers come under serious question.

 Hena Kawala, Former DEO of Vahun District and now a parent to two of the students at Voinjama Multilateral High School, has been appearing on different platforms, including radio stations, questioning the decision of the DEO and terming it as an attempt to shed the current bad practices by the administration of the school against the aggrieved teachers. 

He has threatened to write a formal complaint to the Ministry of Education reporting the action of the DEO and asking for an independent investigation. 

Kawala attributed the consistent massive failure of students from the school in WASSCE for the past three years as a failure on administration to effectively handle the affairs of the aggrieved teachers. 

During The Stage Media campus-student investigation, some students of the school expressed serious concern about the new teachers. The way the math teacher, Mr. Sekowu, used to explain the different methods for solving these problems is quite different from the new teacher. ‘’Map reading is a major aspect of geography and Mr. Mustapha was very good at that, we miss him mehn..,’’ they said.

The resolution of this internal conflict will enhance effective learning and create a smooth working environment for teachers and administrators.

The Art to repeal an art to adopt the education law of A.D. 2001 that was approved on January 8, 2002 and laws mandatory thereto, to amend certain provision of chapter 26 of the executive law, and to enact in their stead a new reform act of 2011, title 10, Liberian code law revised provides that a clear understanding of how principals of public schools are recruited.

According to Chapter 6.2.2(a) of the Education Reform Act of 2011, public school principals must be recruited through competitive merit by local school boards, and final appointment must come from the Minister of Education.

Chapter 7 of the Education Reform Act identifies administratively punishable offenses, including: insubordination to superiors, dereliction of duty, absence without leave, workplace disruption, document falsification, and soliciting unauthorized payments from students/parents. 

DEO Authority  

Chapter 6.3.5(b) outlines that District Education Officers shall:

These chapters (6&7) therefore dismiss the argument of the whether the District Education Officer has the authority to transfer a teacher if the above mentioned offenses are discovered.

Conclusion: We conclude that the Education Reform Law of 2011 permits DEOs to transfer teachers to prevent insubordination and workplace disruption.