Language of Instruction Country Profile: Liberia

The Act also mandates the teaching of French as a subject for all secondary students. Despite all instruction taking place in English, many students speak a local language as their mother tongue and are not familiar with English upon entering the education system. The Education Reform Act of 2011 allows for a local language to be used as the language of instruction at the basic education level, which includes grades 1-9. County School Boards are responsible for determining the local language used, based on the languages spoken in that region. However, the Act does not specify in which grades a local language can be used as the language of instruction, and whether a local language is to be used alongside English or in place of English. Liberian English, a unique form of English also known as Liberian Pidgin English or Liberian Kreyol, is widely spoken across the country, with 1.6 million speakers. It is used as a language of wider communication and has evolved from standard English, adopting elements of both French and West African languages. The language is spoken by 113,000 people as their first language and 1.5 million people as their second language. The linguistic context of Liberia is diverse, with 31 established languages spoken in the country. Of these, 27 are indigenous and four are non-indigenous. The most widely spoken languages in Liberia include Liberian Kpelle, Bassa, Maan, and Klao. The Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (EGIDS) categorizes languages based on their vitality, with Liberian English being classified as a developing language. The Ministry of Education (MOE) has enacted policies to promote inclusive education, including the Inclusive Education Policy in 2019, which highlights the importance of ensuring students who are deaf or hard of hearing receive education in their native language. The MOE has also revised the national curriculum for all grades, shifting to a competency-based approach and including French as a subject. The Education Reform Act of 2011 also called for the establishment of a Center for Curriculum Development and Research, which would be responsible for developing curriculum and instructional materials for all schools, including local language curricula. The revised primary curriculum includes provisions for local language curricula, but the details of these curricula are not specified. The linguistic landscape of Liberia is complex, with multiple languages spoken across the country. The use of local languages as languages of instruction is allowed, but the specifics of this policy are not clearly defined. The MOE has enacted policies to promote inclusive education, but the implementation of these policies is not specified.