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Serve where you’re needed mostLiteracy Specialist
Education
Job highlights
- Gain valuable experience teaching literacy, assessing literacy programs, and training teachers.
- Become a valued colleague and member of the community.
- Experience the beautiful Liberian culture firsthand.
Applications are now closed. View current openings.
Apply by
January 15, 2026Know by
April 1, 2026Depart on
August 8, 2026Duration
9 monthsAbout the project
Liberia is looking for experienced professionals to strengthen the country’s early grade literacy programs.
After years of civil crisis, Liberia’s education sector is still in recovery and the literacy rate among Liberians stands at less than 50%. Peace Corps/Liberia developed a literacy program to support the Ministry of Education and other NGOs to address these widespread deficits in reading and writing.
As a Literacy Specialist, you will be trained to support early grade teachers to teach phonics and literacy. Alongside your colleagues, you will design and implement sustainable programs that enhance educational outcomes and community resilience.
Learn more about what Volunteers do in country by visiting our Liberia project page.
Required skills
Qualified candidates will have the following criteria:
Competitive candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
Bachelor of Arts in Literacy Education or other relevant field
OR
3 or more years of experience in literacy education
Language: There are no pre-requisite language requirements for this position.
Required behavioral competencies
These competencies are essential for all service assignments and are assessed in the application and interview process:
Motivation for and commitment to service
Adaptability and open-mindedness
Problem solving and resourcefulness
Behavioral maturity and professionalism
Photos from Liberia
How you and the community will make an impact together:
Mobilize community organizations to support secondary education.
Teach lower grades phonics and literacy, integrating literacy activities into a variety of subjects.
Develop and implement a participatory inventory and analysis of Liberia’s literacy instruction programs for primary and middle grades.
Train teachers in classroom management and materials development.
Conduct after-school literacy activities.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as a school garden or a pen pal exchange.
The Volunteer will live in private housing within a rural community. Water will be fetched from nearby hand pump.
Learn more about the living conditions, including detailed information on culture, communications, housing, and health/crime statistics on our Liberia country page. You can also delve into stories about local communities by reading our blog or Volunteer stories.
Meet a Volunteer in Liberia
Dee D.
Science Lab Trainer and Co-Teacher
"The way my community has welcomed me, taken me in as one of their own, and continue to teach me what it means to be Liberian has shown that above all, we are all family and are working together on our shared planet."
See full Volunteer profile
After a 2-week orientation on topics such as health and safety, you will move to a rural community where you will collaborate with a government school that includes primary and junior high grade levels. You will work with the partner and your community to assess the local needs and develop a work plan in line with their established goals.
No couples are accepted for this position.
Application process
From application to departure takes around nine months. Learn about the application process for Volunteer opportunities.
Medical/legal clearance
You will need to be cleared medically and legally in order to serve in Liberia. Review information on medical clearance and legal clearance to learn about the process.
