In Summary:
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During his State of the Nation Address, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai made several claims about improvements in Liberia’s education sector.
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Our research found that his claim on hiring over 2,000 qualified volunteer teachers is correct. This is supported by Ministry of Finance records and independent media reports, which confirm that more than 2,100 teachers were added to the payroll nationwide.
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His claim that 156 schools were equipped with computer labs was also rated correct, with World Bank and government documents showing most labs operational and the remainder scheduled for completion.
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However, the claim that over 26,000 desks and chairs were supplied under the “one child, one chair” initiative was found to be unproven, as available evidence only confirms the presentation of 525 chairs in December, 2025.
When President Joseph Nyuma Boakai delivered his state of the nation address, he made several claims about the Education sector of Liberia.
Fact Check By: Ralitsa Massah | Fact Checker
Key among the claims, the President stated that his administration had hired over 2,000 qualified volunteer teachers across the 15 counties in Liberia, and equipped 156 schools with computer labs, while 26,000 desks and chairs were supplied to public schools across the country.
Claim 1
The president stated that: “Over 2,000 qualified volunteer teachers were hired across all counties.”
Rating Justification
To verify this claim, we searched the Ministry of Education website and its official Facebook page but could not find any data supporting the President’s claim.
We further searched online and found a May 15 press release on the Ministry of Finance’s official website, highlighting that over 2,000 volunteer teachers have been formally added to the government payroll.
Additionally, we found an article on the New Republic Liberia website stating that the Ministry of Education has completed the verification and payroll placement of 2,148 qualified volunteer teachers across the country.
Conclusion
Based on these findings, we conclude that President Boakai’s claim that over 2,000 qualified volunteer teachers were hired across all counties is correct.
A press release from the Ministry of Finance and a news article from the New Republic Liberia websites both confirmed that over 2,000 volunteer teachers were added to the government payroll.
Claim 2
In another claim, the President stated that “156 schools have been equipped with computer labs”.
Rating justification
To verify this claim, we searched online and found the World Bank IRISE project document, which shows that 148 of 156 schools were fully set up and operational. The remaining 6 were pending setup by June 23, 2025.
Further online search led us to a Ministry of Finance press release, dated May 15, 2025, which quoted Education Minister Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, during the “Deep Dives” sessions organized by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), that 156 public schools have been equipped with computer labs.
The initiative, according to the release, was made possible through the World Bank-sponsored IRIS Project at the Ministry of Education.
Conclusion
Based on these findings, we conclude that President Boakai’s claim that 156 schools have been equipped with computer labs is correct.
According to data from the World Bank IRISE project document, 148 out of 156 were equipped, and the others were to be completed by June 23, 2025. A Ministry of Finance & Development Planning’s press release states that 156 public schools were equipped with computer labs.
Claim 3
Said President Boakai: “Over 26,000 desks and chairs supplied through the one child, one chair initiative.”
Rating Justification
In early 2025, the UP administration suspended the salaries of dozens of government officials for non-compliance with asset-declaration laws, and the blocked funds were earmarked specifically to support the procurement and local production of chairs for schoolchildren as part of the initiative to improve learning conditions.
On December 18, 2025, the Ministry of Education and Civil Service Agency presented the first 525 chairs to President Boakai, through revenues generated from enforcing the assets declaration mandate.
We further searched online, but could not find any data on 26,000 desks and chairs being supplied through the one child, one chair initiative.
Conclusion
Based on our findings, we conclude that the President’s claim that over 26,000 desks and chairs were supplied through the one child, one chair initiative, is unproven.
Available evidence shows that only 525 chairs were presented to the President in December, 2025, under the “one child, one chair” initiative.
