A Bong County educator has condemned the reported denial of graduation to St. Martin’s Catholic High School valedictorian Future Y. Blackie over a deficiency in Mathematics in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), calling on Liberia’s Ministry of Education to review its graduation policy.
D. Tonnonla Sengbey, a classroom teacher and education advocate, said the decision raises concerns about the relationship between national examination results and the requirements for completing high school. He argued that students who have successfully completed their schools’ prescribed curricula should not automatically be denied graduation because they fail to obtain the required grades in an external examination.
Sengbey questioned the legal and policy basis for the Ministry’s reported position, urging education authorities to publicly clarify the rules governing graduation eligibility. He also criticized what he described as gaps in Liberia’s education system, including inadequate laboratory facilities, shortages of specialised technical personnel and a lack of sufficient teacher training to prepare students for WASSCE.
The educator further called for a review of the senior high school curriculum to ensure it aligns with WASSCE syllabuses and examination requirements. He recommended equipping schools with functional laboratories and libraries, training teachers in practical subjects and working with the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to strengthen examination preparation. Sengbey maintained that these measures would address underlying academic challenges rather than placing the burden entirely on students.
The controversy follows the reported case of Blackie, whose graduation was affected by a Mathematics deficiency. Sengbey’s comments add to the debate over examination standards, student achievement and graduation requirements in Liberia. However, the Ministry of Education’s official explanation of the decision, the specific policy governing the case and any response from the school or WAEC were not included in the interview provided. Clarification from the relevant authorities would help establish the applicable rules and the circumstances surrounding the decision.