An Appreciative Inquiry into the Experiences of Teachers and Students in Science Education in Liberian High Schools

Abstract

The Republic of Liberia has experienced three distinct stages of educational development. The first stage consisted of informal and formal education practices prior to the nation’s independence in 1847 (Trye, 2020). The second stage spanned from independence through the end of the civil war in 2003, a period characterized by both the growth and decline of Western-style education (Trye, 2020). The third stage began in the post-civil war era, from 2003 to the present, marked by efforts to reconstruct and reform the national education system.
Politically, Liberia has made steady progress since the civil war, which lasted from 1989 to 2003. The National Elections Commission successfully conducted three democratic elections in 2005, 2011, and 2017, with a fourth post-war election anticipated in October 2023. Despite these political achievements, the educational sector continues to face numerous challenges, including limited resources, inadequate infrastructure, poorly equipped laboratories, and insufficiently trained science teachers.