Liberia targets taxi dropouts with new school plans

More than 60,000 school-age boys in Liberia have dropped out of education to work as motorcycle taxi drivers, according to the education ministry.

Analysts say the harsh economic realities of living in a post-conflict country mean these children have little choice but to seek out a livelihood, even if education is available.

But the education ministry says a lack of schools is to blame, and is going to invest in building more schools in the 25 educational districts where those more than 60,000 boys have dropped out.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia’s former president, once described the educational system as “a mess”, and some say very little has been done to correct the situation.

By BBC