Liberia to reopen schools in February as threat of Ebola starts to recede

Liberia announced plans to reopen schools in February, six months after the government ordered them closed because of the Ebola outbreak that has killed more than 3,400 people in the West African nation, an official said on Monday. The rate of new Ebola cases has slowed in recent weeks in Liberia where the government and international organisations with support from the United States have stepped up efforts to stop the spread of the disease. President Ellen Johnson (pictured above) Sirleaf has revealed that schools would reopen on February 2 but did not specify whether the measure would apply to the entire education system.

We are negotiating with our partners for the distribution of non-contact thermometers and buckets for hand washing to all schools in the Republic of Liberia.

George Wuo, a director at the Education Ministry

The school year was due to start in September but the government decided in August to keep students at home in order to prevent further spread of the disease. Liberia, like its neighbours Sierra Leone and Guinea, imposed strict measures including closing markets, quarantining infected areas and limiting travel to stop the spread of Ebola.

Africa Liberia