MONROVIA: The Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS), has confirmed a report of an investigation conducted by The ‘Investigative’ INDEPENDENT, bordering on allegation that an instructor of the state-owned Garrison W. Gibson High School on Capitol Bye-Pass, one of several public schools under the supervision of MCSS has impregnated one of his female students.
According to our investigation, it started on Thursday, March 31, 2022, when this paper got a tipoff that the parents of the victim, (name withheld), went to the campus of the G. W. Gibson School to formally complain instructor Edward M. Hena, alias “MOG,” who teaches Biology, for impregnating their daughter.
The class of the victim is being withheld by this paper for ethical reasons but she is believed to be 21 years in age.
This paper gathered from family sources that the alleged perpetrator (Hena), upon hearing this, assumed full responsibility for his student’s pregnancy.
According our sources, the Biology teacher unsuccessfully prevailed on the parents of the female student not to inform the G. W. Gibson school administration on grounds that it may cause his immediate dismissal.
Other family sources confided into this paper that there were some unidentified individuals believed to be associated with the administration of the G. W. Gibson School attempted to negotiate with the victim’s parents aimed at resolving the matter without the knowledge of the MCSS Central Administration.
The unidentified negotiators allegedly told the victim’s family that for a teacher to impregnate his own student is a gross ethical violation and warrants dismissal and prosecution under Liberian laws.
According to the family sources, teacher Hena had apparently succeeded in brainwashing the victim, making her to strongly believe that he is fully prepared to marry her, and as such, for her to inform the MCCS Central Administration would be counterproductive to his teaching career and their marital plan.
Teacher Hena is also said to have told the impregnated student that his dismissal from job would seriously undermine his ability to financially and effectively care for her and the baby.
This paper has also gathered that the MCCS instructor’s alleged action violates Chapter Four of the “Code of Conduct for Teachers and School Administrators in Liberia.”
Chapter Four of the Code of Conduct states that the “Values and Relationships” Section 4.1 under the caption: “Professional Values” prescribed by the Ministry of Education in 2014.
Section 4.1-Professional Values states: “As a role model in society, the lifestyle and character of teacher/school administrators must be worthy of emulation and above approach. Teachers/school administrators should be aware that their position comes with a level of power and influence on the students and society around them. Thus a teacher/school administrator in the Liberian school system is expected to live an exemplary life, upholding the principles and standards of the teaching profession at all times in and out of the school places. To achieve this end, all teachers/school administrators in the Liberian school system must avoid unethical and reproachable acts and behavior in their relationship and interaction with students, professional colleagues, parents/legal guardians, and the general public”.
Also Chapter Four section 4.2.1 under the caption: “Teacher/Student Relationship” of the teachers and school administrators’ code of ethics states; “In the discharge of their duties and responsibilities, all teachers/school administrators SHALL NOT: Section 4.2.1.1 “Marry a grade student (grade1-12) currently enrolled in formal school; Section 4.2.1.2 “Have sexual or romantic relationship with a student in the formal school system regardless of the age of the student and/or whether the student consents; and Section 4.2.1.3 “Sexually abuse/assault and/or exploit students in exchange for grade (s), money, labor, personal benefit and/or gains.”
Accused Teacher Hena could not be immediately reached for his reaction to the allegation levied against him.
When contacted, MCSS Director of Public Relations, Mr. Samuel Nyenuh, however, confirmed the incident and disclosed to this paper that after a thorough administrative inquiry, instructor Hena was found liable of violating the Code of Conduct for Teachers and School Administrators in the Liberian School System.
“We were able to administratively and amicably handle the issue in-house to protect the privacy of the female student, while the guy was dismissed to serve as a deterrence,” the MCSS Director of Public Relations informed this paper via a text message over the weekend.
Mr. Nyenuh also informed The ‘Investigative’ INDEPENDENT that MCSS, Superintendent Isaac Saye-Lakpoh Zawolo, has mandated that the victim should remain in school to enable her complete her 12 grade lesson and promised to sponsor her through tertiary education in any college or university in Liberia.
“The Superintendent promised to help the student up to college level, and that she will remain in school until she completes her studies,” MCSS Director of Public Relations disclosed to this paper.
The MCSS was established by the Government of Liberia in 1964 under the Act to Amend the Education Law.
MCSS was enacted by an Act of Legislature on December 24, 1964, to ensure proper and effective conduct of schools in Monrovia and its environs in consonance with the policies and regulations of the Ministry of Education.
With the mission to ensure students achievement through quality instruction, effective school leadership, efficient school management, parents involvement, students motivation and community support MCSS is charged with the duty to provide primary and secondary education to the population of Monrovia metropolitan area.
Under its current Superintendent, Isaac Saye-Lakpoh Zawolo, MCSS supervises twenty-four (24) schools within Monrovia and its environs.
MCSS schools are in the categories of twelve standalone Elementary schools, four standalone Junior High Schools, four combined Elementary and Junior High Schools, one combined Junior and Senior High schools and three standalone Senior High School.
MCSS Superintendent, Isaac Saye-Lakpoh Zawolo was appointed to the post by President George Manneh Weah on November 23, 2021. He is the seventeenth Superintendent of the Monrovia Consolidated School System.
