Monrovia – America students visiting the main campus of the University of Liberia on Capitol Hill for the first time were delighted to see the monument of former President Williams V. S. Tubman, the longest-serving President of the Republic of Liberia.
Report by J.H. Webster Clayeh – webster.clayeh@frontpageafricaonline.com
The students who were led into the main campus by a student activist Martin K.N. Kollie, had a short meeting with the President of the University of Liberia Students Union (ULSU) Flomo Maiwo before passing through the Firestone Quadrant (FQ) Building to get to the University Park where the monument of the late President is well placed.
Khyree Gooding, a student of Clark Atlantic University told FrontPage Africa on Monday at the University Park that she was brought into the country by “Planting a Seed International”, a nongovernmental organization in the country.
Gooding says, “I am here with the “Planting a Seed International” a non-profitable program and we are here to experience the true sense of what it’s like in Liberia. We did the same in other countries; so we are here to experience the beauty of Liberia and all the natural resources and talents that are here.”
She continues by saying: “I loved it here, the temperature is great. The people are unique. And when I went to the Divine orphanage, I fell in love with a little girl. So, my mom and I are going to sponsor her education.”
Although Gooding likes the many beautiful natural types of scenery in and around the country; she says the dreadful conditions at the University of Liberia do not represent the nation’s higher institution of learning.
She said: “There are lots of issues American Universities are faced with and that can be seeing in other countries.”
She continues by saying: “Lots of issues young guys are facing here (at the University of Liberia) are not unique to Liberia.”
Jasmine Windley, another student from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia says they are in the country to learn more about the educational system and to see how best they can contribute to the nation through the Planting a Seed nonprofitable organization.
Comparing America to Liberia, Windley says like Liberia, America is faced with the same economy and education issues but adds that the situation in Liberia is huge.
Windley says, “Liberia has beautiful infrastructures and very good professors but I think there needs to be some development in the educational system. Then, update the curriculum so that students can be on the same level in education and research with other students in America and other parts of the World”.
The Spelman College student added: “One of the memories I am going to take back home is meeting the students’ leader of course. But I will love to see an equip laboratory here. I understand he was saying that research is not hands-on here (at UL).”
“I am biology major so I think something that really important to me is being able to get a hands-on experience and doing biology is important to understand what you are working with, and how it contributes to society. And, if you do not have the experience hands-on, I think that it is a kind that takes away the experience for you to be able to contribute to the society.
Also, the President of the University of Liberia Students Union (ULSU) Maiwo praised the students for visiting the University of Liberia and mainly the students’ leadership.
According to him, many of the students in past time have benefited from what he called students exchange program in the United States and other parts of the world.