By: Edwin N Khakie
Fenutoli Town, Yellequelleh District #5, Lower Bong County- Over 250 school-going children have been left without a place to learn following a violent storm that destroyed the roof of the Yowah Manah Public School, the only junior high educational facility serving Fenutoli Town and surrounding communities in Yellequelleh District #5, Lower Bong County.
The destructive storm struck on the evening of Sunday, May 11, 2025, leaving the school building in ruins and disrupting academic activities for students who rely on the institution for their primary and junior high education. The loss has devastated local residents who see education as a critical path to opportunity and development in one of Bong County’s rural districts.
Speaking to The New Dawn newspaper on May 27, 2025, Mr. Kesseely P. Gogbah, Principal of Yowah Manah Public School, detailed the extent of the destruction.
“The storm completely tore off the roof of our main building,” Mr. Gogbah said. “Every classroom is exposed, and as a result, learning has stopped. Our students—more than 250 of them—have nowhere to sit, no shelter from the rain or sun, and no way to continue their education right now.”
Mr. Gogbah emphasized the school’s vital role in the community, serving children from multiple towns across the district. Prior to the storm, the school was already struggling with limited classroom space and insufficient resources. Now, the physical damage has brought learning to a complete halt.
Residents of Fenutoli and nearby communities say they are heartbroken by the destruction. For many, Yowah Manah Public School has been a symbol of hope—offering a rare chance at formal education in an underserved region.
“The school is all we have for our children,” said one local elder. “Without it, we fear our children will be left behind.”
Principal Gogbah is now appealing to humanitarian organizations, development partners, government agencies, and kind-hearted individuals to come to the school’s aid. He specifically mentioned a need for zinc sheets, zinc nails, cement, and other essential building materials to help reconstruct the damaged building and restore a safe learning environment.
“We urgently need support to rebuild and resume classes. Our children’s future depends on it,” he pleaded.
As the rainy season continues, the community grows increasingly anxious about further deterioration of the structure and the potential long-term effects on the children’s education.
This situation adds to ongoing concerns about the vulnerability of rural schools across Liberia to natural disasters and the lack of emergency response infrastructure. Community leaders are calling for more attention from the Ministry of Education and national authorities to improve school facilities and ensure students in remote areas are not forgotten.
The people of Fenutoli are holding on to hope that their cry for help will be heard—and that their children will soon return to the classroom.
