PRESS STATEMENT
For Immediate Release
LAC/UMC Commends Ministry of Education for Upholding Educational Standards and Affirming Ownership of Evelyn S. Chapman United Methodist School
Monrovia, Liberia — October 7, 2025: The Liberia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church (LAC/UMC) extends its profound appreciation to the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Liberia, under the distinguished leadership of Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, for its timely and decisive intervention regarding the unauthorized change of the name of the Evelyn S. Chapman United Methodist School to the Evelyn S. Chapman Global Methodist School.
The United Methodist Church welcomes the Ministry’s official communication, dated October 6, 2025, which reaffirms that the Evelyn S. Chapman School is duly recognized and continues to operate under the United Methodist School System of the Liberia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church.
This decisive action by the Ministry not only upholds the integrity of Liberia’s educational system but also safeguards the future of students who rely on these institutions for quality, faith-based education rooted in discipline and moral values.
The LAC/UMC fully supports the Ministry’s stance against unauthorized institutional changes and illegal academic activities, including graduations conducted without approval or adherence to national standards established by the Ministry of Education.
The Liberia Annual Conference reiterates its unwavering commitment to working in close partnership with the Ministry of Education to ensure that all United Methodist schools across Liberia operate in full compliance with national educational policies and uphold the Church’s long-standing tradition of academic excellence, discipline, and moral integrity.
Furthermore, the LAC/UMC assures all parents, students, and the general public that the Evelyn S. Chapman United Methodist School remains a legitimate institution under the authority and supervision of the United Methodist School System — a proud and active partner in Liberia’s educational development for decades.
The Liberia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church commends Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah and her dedicated team at the Ministry of Education for their vigilance, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to maintaining educational integrity and accountability throughout the nation.
Background
In July 2025, Rev. Paye Cooper Mondolo, a Global Methodist clergyman, unlawfully and forcefully removed the seated principal of the Evelyn S. Chapman United Methodist School, Mr. Peter Harris, from his office and assumed the position without authorization.
Mr. Harris, who was at the time preparing for the school’s graduation activities, was forcibly displaced. Since then, the Liberia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church (LAC/UMC) and Principal Harris have submitted all necessary documentation to the Ministry of Education, reaffirming the school’s legitimate ownership and continued operation under the United Methodist School System.
The LAC/UMC notes with concern that followers of the Global Methodist Church have illegally seized several United Methodist institutions prominent amongst them is the Ganta United Methodist School, and the Evelyn S. Chapman United Methodist School among The Conference continues to pursue all lawful and peaceful means to reclaim and protect its properties, in accordance with national laws and the values of the United Methodist Church.