MONROVIA, Liberia: Liberia has opened a high-level executive meeting of the African Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities (AFTRA), bringing together education leaders to strengthen teacher professionalization and promote higher standards across Africa’s education systems.

The meeting, held in Monrovia, is focused on a central question facing education systems across the continent: how to ensure that every teacher entering and remaining in the classroom is adequately prepared, professionally supported, continuously developed and held to clear standards.

Liberia’s Minister of Education, Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, emphasized that teacher professionalization must extend beyond recruitment and initial training. She called for stronger systems to support educators throughout their careers through continuous professional development, quality assurance, professional standards and opportunities for career growth.

“Professionalization cannot focus only on people entering teaching,” the Minister told delegates, stressing the importance of building systems that also strengthen teachers already serving in classrooms.

For Liberia, the AFTRA Executive Meeting provides an opportunity to learn from the experiences of other African countries while contributing to broader continental efforts to improve the teaching profession.

Day One of the meeting also featured remarks from Hon. Anthony G. Myers, Deputy Minister for Fiscal Affairs at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, as well as addresses from AFTRA leadership and deliberations by members of the organization’s Executive Board.

The Monrovia meeting also carries significance for Liberia as the country prepares to host the 14th AFTRA Conference and Roundtable in 2027.

Minister Jallah challenged Liberia to use the period leading up to the 2027 gathering to demonstrate tangible progress in strengthening the country’s teaching profession. The expectation is that the country will showcase meaningful advances when African education and regulatory leaders return to Liberia.

Beyond the immediate meeting, AFTRA’s engagement provides a platform for African countries to share practical experiences, strengthen institutional cooperation and develop professional standards that reflect the different realities of education systems across the continent.

The discussions in Monrovia come at a time when African countries are increasingly recognizing that improving education outcomes requires not only investments in infrastructure and learning materials, but also a strong, well-regulated and professionally supported teaching workforce.

As the Executive Meeting continues, participants are expected to focus on translating continental cooperation into stronger regulatory and professional systems for teachers with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of education delivered to children across Africa.