Faculty Strike Paralyzes Rural Colleges as Salary Dispute Escalates

By: Ernest Kpehe Moibah | Correspondent, Bomi County

Tubmanburg, Bomi County- September 25, 2025- The Rural Universities and Colleges Faculty Association of Liberia (RUCFAL) has launched an indefinite nationwide strike over what they describe as inadequate salaries and benefits from the Government of Liberia.

The strike, which began on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, has crippled academic activities at institutions across the country, including the Bomi Community College (BCC) in Tubmanburg, leaving thousands of students in limbo.

RUCFAL insists the strike will continue until the government addresses long-standing concerns, including standardized salaries, fair benefits, and stronger financial support for rural faculty members who, they argue, have been marginalized compared to colleagues in urban institutions.

However, the move has not gone unchallenged. Responding to the strike action, BCC President, Dr. Zobong Norman, strongly criticized the faculty’s approach.

“They are doing the right thing but in the wrong way,” Dr. Norman remarked, questioning the participation of teachers employed directly by the college and even deans of departments.

He expressed frustration with faculty leadership, accusing them of ignoring their responsibility to protect the interests of students, many of whom now face an uncertain academic future.

The standoff between RUCFAL and the government represents an escalation in a dispute that has dragged on for years, with faculty members repeatedly warning of low morale, declining teaching standards, and worsening conditions in rural colleges.

For students, however, the immediate concern is the disruption to their education. With no resolution in sight, many fear the indefinite strike could derail their studies, delay graduations, and diminish confidence in the country’s higher education system.

However, the spokesperson of the Bomi Community College Faculty Association, Mr. Austin Davis, clarified that the ongoing strike action is not directed against any single institution, but rather targeted at the national government.

Mr. Davis explained that the core issue is salary equalization, the long standing gap between what instructors at rural colleges earn compared to their counterparts in urban areas like Monrovia.

He pointed out that while faculty at institutions such as the University of Liberia and Tubman University receive higher salaries and better benefits, those at rural colleges like BCC are left with lower pay despite performing the same work and carrying similar academic responsibilities.

“Our action is not against the administration of BCC or any other local college,” Davis stressed. “It is a national call for justice and fairness. We are demanding that rural instructors be placed on the same salary scale as our colleagues in urban institutions. Until we see positive results, we will remain out of the classrooms.”

The faculty spokesperson added that many rural instructors are struggling to survive on their current wages, which makes it difficult to provide for their families or even focus fully on their teaching duties.

He emphasized that closing the salary gap would not only improve the lives of rural faculty but also strengthen the quality of education for students in underserved regions.

According to him, the strike was a painful but necessary step to highlight years of neglect by the government, and he called on the Ministry of Education, the Civil Service Agency, and lawmakers to act quickly before the crisis further disrupts the academic future of thousands of students across Liberia.