By Bill W. Cooper
The Nathan E. Gibson High School, a prominent educational institution in Paynesville, has become the center of a tragic event involving the alleged raping of a 17-year-old student to death by a computer instructor identified as Stephen Jackson.
The incident, according to our reporter who visited the campus, has raised serious concerns about the safety of other students in the schools, with the need for urgent reforms in the country’s education system.
According to information gathered, the lifeless body of the student, whose name is yet to be identified, was discovered yesterday, May 7, 2025, with eyewitnesses reporting seeing the young girl leaving the school with her computer instructor, Jackson, after school hours on Tuesday.
According to some students who spoke to this outlet on the basis of anonymity, the deceased and her teacher appeared to be engaged in a conversation the day before the tragedy struck.
But no one suspected that a tragedy was about to unfold, and revealed that the next day, neither she nor her teacher showed up at the campus.
They added that it was at that point they decided to do a follow-up at her home, only to hear about her sudden passing, including the circumstances surrounding her death, leaving her parents, students, and faculty members in disbelief.
The sudden passing of the victim under what some grieving friends described as ‘mischievous circumstance’ has prompted calls for justice and accountability.
Parents and students, our reporter said, gathered outside the school on the day following the discovery, expressing their grief and anger, demanding justice for the victim and calling for an end to violence against women and children in Liberia.
“I can’t believe that this happened in our school. We send our children to school to learn and be safe, not to be victims of such heinous crimes. We need to ensure that our schools are safe environments for our children,” a parent, in tears, lamented.
The lady, only identified as Mary, further expressed her shock and sadness, adding, “Somebody bright student with a promising future has just died like that. She didn’t deserve this. We need to stand together and demand justice for her.”
Some of the students are also calling on the government to speedily investigate the matter and ensure that their colleague receives justice, coupled with protecting children from sexual violence and abuse.
The aggrieved students further emphasized the need for better training for teachers and staff, as well as stricter background checks for those working in educational institutions or poised to be employed within various institutions of learning.
A female student only described as Peterlyn said, “Schools should be safe havens for us as students, and not places where we are vulnerable to predators like Mr. Jackson.
Our government need to implement policies that ensure our safety and well-being because this incident should serve as a wake-up call for all of us.”
Meanwhile, information has it that Jackson is currently on the run to escape Justice, but till press time, the school Authority is yet to comment or issue a statement concerning the incident.
However, the tragedy at Nathan E. Gibson High School now serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by students in educational institutions, and as the institution mourns the loss of a bright young life, the call for justice and reform has never been more urgent. Investigation continues.
