The Government of Liberia has announced that registration for public schools will be free for all pupils from Kindergarten through Grade 6, beginning with the 2026/2027 academic year. Under the new policy, parents and guardians will no longer be required to pay registration fees to enroll children in public primary schools anywhere in the country. “Simply take your child to school,” the Ministry said.
The Ministry of Education has warned that any public-school demanding registration fees under the new policy should be reported immediately through an official reporting channel, which will be announced soon.
The initiative is being implemented with support from the EXCEL Project and school grants, and is aimed at easing the financial burden on families while increasing access to education. According to the Ministry, the policy is expected to help more children enroll in school, improve attendance, and reduce barriers that prevent children from completing their basic education.
According to the Ministry of Education, this policy covers all public primary schools nationwide. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education is encouraging parents and guardians to take advantage of the initiative by enrolling their children for the new academic year.
Meanwhile, Sinoe County Senator Augustine Chea has commended the Ministry of Education for a significant milestone in the pursuit of accessible education in Liberia. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, Senator Chea said his advocacy for reduced or completely free kindergarten and primary education, which he advanced through a proposed law currently before the Senate for consideration, has begun to yield results.
He said the step by the Ministry of Education is commendable step toward expanding access to education for every Liberian child. It can be recalled that the Government of Liberia has announced that all registration fees for pupils attending public primary schools will be abolished beginning with the 2026/2027 academic year, in what authorities describe as a major step toward expanding access to education.
Minister of Education Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah said that children enrolled in public schools from kindergarten through Grade Six will no longer be required to pay registration fees. “We are asking parents to simply take their children to school,” Dr. Jallah said. “If any public-school demands registration fees, report it immediately to the Ministry of Education.”
She said the Ministry will establish reporting channels, including a dedicated contact number and field personnel across the country, to receive complaints from parents whose children are asked to pay unauthorized registration fees.
Dr. Jallah also reminded parents that Liberia’s Education Act makes primary education compulsory. She cited provisions of the law stating that parents or guardians who fail, without a valid reason, to enroll their school-age children after receiving written notice from a school may be guilty of a misdemeanor under Liberia’s Penal Law.
“If you do not take your children to school and you do not have a qualified reason, you are guilty of a misdemeanor under the Penal Law according to the Education Act,” she emphasized, urging parents to ensure that every eligible child attend school.
The education minister noted that the government’s free registration initiative will be financed through the EXCEL Project and school grants that will be distributed to public schools nationwide. She explained that the grants will also support other essential school-related needs beyond registration costs.
Dr. Jallah assured parents that the Ministry will launch a nationwide public awareness campaign to inform communities that registration fees for pupils in public schools from kindergarten through Grade Six have been eliminated.
