MCSS Students Protest Over Principal's Prolonged Absence

Students of the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) staged a protest on Tuesday morning, citing the principal's continual absence...

Students of the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) staged a protest on Tuesday morning, citing the principal's continual absence as a disruption to normal academic activities over the past three weeks.

The aggrieved students gathered on Tubman High School campus. They marched toward the MCSS headquarters on 12th Street, Sinkor, chanting slogans and holding placards demanding the immediate return of their principal or the appointment of a new one.

They claimed that for several weeks, the school has been operating without proper leadership, leading to poor coordination and delays in administrative matters.

According to students, the MCSS administration recently dismissed the former principal, who has reportedly refused to hand over the office keys to the newly appointed principal. As a result, the new principal has been unable to assume complete duties, insisting that without access to the office, he cannot perform his functions.

Due to this ongoing dispute, both teachers and the principal have been largely absent from classes for the past "two to three weeks." Some teachers who occasionally show up, students say, demanded that they take tests despite the lack of regular instruction, a situation the students describe as unacceptable.

On Monday, October 13, students reportedly prevented teachers from entering the campus, an action that led to a serious disturbance and disrupted normal academic activities.

Following that incident, on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, the students marched from the Tubman High School building to the MCSS head office on 12th Street to present their grievances.

However, upon arrival, they were met by police officers who prevented them from accessing the premises, a move the students said took them by surprise.

"We have no one to approve our reports, organize our schedules, or address our concerns. It feels like we are being neglected," one protesting student told reporters.

When our reporter visited the scene, debris from rocks littered the street, suggesting a confrontation between the students and the police. The incident also disrupted traffic flow and caused panic among residents in the surrounding areas.

In an interview with one of the protesters, student Alex A. Toe, from the 12th D class of Tubman High School, said that following their protest, the MCSS administration called in the organizers for a meeting. During the meeting, they were informed that an investigation would be launched to determine why the former principal is still holding onto the office keys. The students were also advised to return to class, as the administration assured them that the new principal would officially take charge by tomorrow or next week.

Toe added that they were told to remain calm and return to classes with the assurance that the situation would soon be resolved, but nothing had been done.

However, the students further called on the Ministry of Education to step in and resolve the matter swiftly. They warned that if their concerns are not addressed, they will continue their protest until the issue is settled.

According to information gathered by this paper, the former principal has refused to step down, claiming he was removed unfairly. Efforts to obtain clarification on the reason for his dismissal proved inconclusive, as details surrounding the issue remain unclear.

Meanwhile, several attempts to speak with the MCSS Superintendent to better understand the situation were also unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, police officers were deployed on the scene to maintain order and prevent any violence. The Ministry of Education is yet to comment on the situation. - Edited by Othello B. Garblah.

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