Monrovia – Protest have overshadowed learning activities at the University of Liberia since the beginning of the 2017/2018 academic semester.
These protests have generated from the administration’s decision to close the registration process.
Angry students have stormed the streets of Monrovia, while others on the Fendell Campus blocked the highway leading to Kakata, Margibi County.
They have called for the reopening of registration and the resignation of Dr. Ophelia Weeks.
On Monday, February 5, the administration announced the reopening of the registration process for the affected students to complete their process.
Despite the decision, leaders of various student groupings at the university called on the UL President to resign.
FrontPageAfrica has been soliciting the views of some students on unfolding situation at the state-run university.
Ernest S. Barkpalah,
“First of all I am really happy that she has decided to open the registration process, but this is not the first time for them to do some. So, we hope this time the registration process will finally be opened as she had made the pronouncement today. And let it be open to students who pay their money already and also to students who have not yet paid their money. And for me, I think there is no need for her to resign, once she is doing the right thing let her remain in her position and try to work with the administration in moving this university forward.”
Anthony Boimah,
“Registration has been a serious problem here at the University of Liberia so, it is a good thing for the UL President to open the process. That had been my prayer because every human being under the Geneva Convention has the right to education. I hope students will complete their process so that we can end the semester under a good atmosphere. For me, I think Madam Weeks as head of this university should be willing to listen to members of the UL faculty whenever she is taking decision, but for me I am not in support of those who are calling on her to resign.”
Benedict A Harris: “The opening of registration is fine but that is not the only problem, the university is run by the faculty so the views of the UL President can’t be different from that of the faculty. So, base on this I think she should go (resign) because she is not taking decision in the interest of the students. A new person should take charge of the university so that new ideas and strategy can be accepted. She is not the only one who is qualified to be President of this university. She is the one behind this entire problem, because at times, we will see citation on the campus telling us that registration is open just to find out at the end of the day that Dr. Weeks puts stop to it”.
Anthony G. Lombeh,
“I am happy for the President of UL to open the registration because it will afford our comrades to complete their registration process. I am just a single student I can’t go against the decision of the majority if they say she should go let her go (resign). And besides, since she became President of this university there had been problem upon problem. For example, at EDP you will find one or two persons serving up to a thousand students, which is almost impossible to do. For me, I took up to two weeks to complete my process, so I think for this and so many reasons she should go (resign).”
Orel Y. Gbo,
“For me, I feel good and also sad at the opening of the registration process because it is good to knock the iron when it is hot but for the registration to delay up to this time I think it has a negative impact, we should not been carry on registration for up to five to six months. We should be discussing final at this time. So I blame the administration because they did not put in the proper mechanism for the process to be very smooth. For me, let her stay and let give her another chance and see what she will do next semester.”
James T. Soko,
“Whether she opens the process or not let her go (resign). You can’t be a President of a major university like UL and refuse to listen to members of the institution’s faculty. That woman acts like a dictator and we can’t allow that at a government university. This university is for the ordinary Liberian citizen who can’t afford to go to private university so any plan to deprive them of acquiring education will be challenge to the core. Let this woman go (resign) because she is against the children of the masses from learning.”
Flomo Moa Moa,
“For us to hear that Police entered our campuses to manhandle students and shoot tears, I think is disgusting. The students are saying that because of Dr. Weeks’ consistent, repressive policies toward their academic sojourn, they no longer need her services on the campuses of the University of Liberia. What they are saying to me is that, they have gone beyond registration; they are calling for her immediate resignation. First, it was registration and she did not listen to the students and we have now reached to point where the students are now demanding her resignation.
Heylove W. Mark,
For us from Fendall angle (FENSA), we are not only calling for the resignation of Dr. Weeks but we are also calling for the immediate resignation of both Ophelia Weeks and Dean Sawolo Nelson who is one of the major conspirators against the students here.”
Seawon S. Lawaiyee,
“The vanguard students Unification Party being the voice of the voiceless, we have come to say over our dead body we cannot sit here as Students Unification Party to see our comrades dropping out of school. Reopening the registration was overdue and we have to lay it aside, our main concern here is, we need the immediate resignation of Dr. Weeks because she lacks all of the requisite criteria to manage the affairs and preside over the University of Liberia.”
Report by Jackson F. [email protected], Augustine T. Tweh – [email protected]