Alasala Town Chief Appeals for Financial Aid to Keep Rural Children in School

By: Ernest Kpehe Moibah | Bomi County Correspondent

Suehn Mecca District: Against the backdrop of growing concern over access to education in rural Liberia, the Town Chief of Alasala, Mr. Jessy Dorley, has issued a passionate appeal to humanitarian organizations, educational stakeholders, and lawmakers to provide financial assistance and scholarship programs for less privileged children.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Rural Reporters News Network (RRNN), Chief Dorley described the situation as urgent and heartbreaking, stressing that many school-age children in rural communities are being denied their right to education due to economic hardship.

Education Out of Reach for Many Families

Chief Dolly noted that while government schools charge relatively minimal fees, many parents in rural communities with large families still struggle to afford tuition for all their children. As a result, he said, households are often forced to enroll only a few children while others remain at home, playing in the streets instead of being in school.

“Parents with five or six children are unable to send all of them to school at once,” Chief Dorley explained. “Some go, while others sit out, which puts the future of our children at risk.”

Basic Supplies Still a Challenge

Highlighting additional barriers, Chief Dorley revealed that too many students lack the most basic educational requirements, such as uniforms, school shoes, or even exercise books. He described instances where children attend classes in slippers and colored clothes from the start of the school year until its end.

“This is not just about tuition; it’s about dignity and motivation,” he emphasized. “When a child cannot even dress like a student, it affects their confidence and desire to learn.”

Planned Community Actions

To address the situation, Chief Dorley disclosed plans to convene a meeting with parents and school authorities in Alasala to discuss the status of out-of-school children and seek practical solutions.

He also announced the creation of a Community Education Task Force to enforce the Ministry of Education’s compulsory education policy. The task force, he said, will monitor attendance and ensure that during school hours, “all children of school-going age are in the classroom and not loitering around the community.”

A Call for Support

Chief Dorley underscored that the struggle to keep children in school cannot be won by parents alone. He therefore called on humanitarian organizations, local and international NGOs, political leaders, and well-meaning citizens to extend scholarships and financial aid to rural families.

“We are appealing to anyone with the means to step in,” he urged. “Our children deserve a chance at education, and without external support, too many of them will continue to be left behind.”

The Bigger Picture

Education experts and stakeholders have long warned that rural neglect continues to undermine Liberia’s national education goals. Chief Dorley’s appeal from Alasala Town reflects the broader crisis of rural access to quality education, where poverty, lack of infrastructure, and limited resources combine to deny countless children their future.

As the new academic year begins, the Town Chief insists that urgent interventions are needed.

“Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty,” he concluded. “If our children don’t go to school now, tomorrow will be worse for all of us.”