Monrovia -The Minister of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), Mr. Samuel D. Tweah, has called on the new leadership of the Liberian National Student Union (LINSU) to become the national force for galvanizing and mobilizing patriotic young Liberians that will transform Liberia.
Report by J.H. Webster Clayeh (0770745986)[email protected]
LINSU, over the weekend, inducted its corps of new officials to stair the affairs of the Liberian student community for the next two years.
Serving as the keynote speaker during union’s fourth post-war induction ceremony at the Executive Pavilion on Broad Street, Minister Tweah said it was the time that LINSU becomes mature and transforms into a productive student organization with meaningful and powerful contributions toward national development.
According to the MFDP boss, in time past the student organization used to be in the bags of their leaders doing political biddings.
“This new LINSU should not do the political bidding of any governing party or political administration. The new LINSU should not just make its national contribution through press releases or political protests.
“The new leadership should distinguish itself through action. The whole construction of a new Liberian future rests with students and young people. It is their behavior and their values,” he asserted.
Touching on national issues, the nation’s chief financial expert told the audience that despite inheriting many difficulties, the George Weah-led administration is on the brink to turn things around.
In doing so, Minister Tweah said both government and citizens need to fulfill their respective responsibilities.
The free tuition for all public universities and colleges, the investments in improving student and teacher outcomes and the Ministry of Education’s free tutorial to improve students exam grades, according to the MFDP head are some of the opportunities that the CDC-led administration is giving to its people in the student community.
“The conditions for excellence in schools are much better than in my time. Students now have the responsibility to take advantage of these opportunities and study,” Minister Tweah said.
The new president of LINSU, Mohamed Kamara, told the gathering that students in the country are striving to acquire education amidst the damping situations are affecting Liberia’s education.
According to Kamara, his leadership will seek to promote a scholastic environment affordable for the necessary standards of quality to meet the development of the full potential of all students in meeting the technical and professional labor demands of the society in this 21st century.
“This victory, this honor, this leadership, finally, belongs to the students of Liberia. Our courage to serve was drawn from your cause for social justice and academic freedom,” Kamara said.
Prior to the new LINSU head’s ascendancy, he was serving as the Assistant Secretary General of the Student Unification Party at the state-run University of Liberia.
Kamara now succeeds Varney Alieu Jersey, the immediate past president of LINSU.
LINSU was founded by in 1952 and enacted into law by an act of the Legislature on January 20, 1957. Its mandates chiefly include serving as the biggest student-based advocacy institution responsible to coordinate activities of all students in Liberia and seeking legal redress when their rights are trampled on.