Liberia: School Fees Block Children’s Access to Education

(Monrovia, May 20, 2026) – Registration fees and other costs to attend public schools in Liberia are a major barrier to education, forcing many children to delay enrollment, miss school, or drop out altogether, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. 
The 75-page report, “‘Without Education, There Will Be Nothing’: School Fees and Other Barriers to Education in Liberia,” documents that mandatory fees—despite a legal guarantee of free and compulsory education for grades 1 to 9—place a heavy financial burden on families and violate children’s right to education. Children in Liberia often enroll in school years late and are sent home when their parents are unable to pay their fees, or work to help pay them. Many drop out entirely or never attend school.