Gbarnga, Bong County – Students of the Bong County Technical College in the central provincial city of Gbarnga, in Bong County are commending President Ellen Johnson Sirelaf for appointing Dr. Charles K. Mulbah as acting President of the College that has led to the timely re- opening of the College.
In his appointment letter dated October 8, 2017, President Sirleaf requested Dr. Mulbah to work with the Board of Directors of the college and the Bong County Legislative Caucus to reopen the college.
“As you are aware, we have appointed a search committee for the recruitment of the president for the college on a permanent basis,” the letter read. “However, as the college is at a critical stage in its development, we cannot afford to leave the position vacant for an extended period, Dr. Mulbah’s appointment letter further.
In an interview with this paper on the College’s main Campus in the Gboveh Hill Community in Gbarnga, the acting President of the student government of the College Thomas Brucenell Kertor described the appointment of the Dr. Mulbah by the Liberian leader as a serious boost not only to the administration but the students as well.
Ketor said, since he took over, Dr. Mulbah continues to work with others in administration as well as members of the faculty and stake holders, a situation he believed is rapidly improving activities at the Bong County Technical College.
The Bong County Technical College acting student government President narrated that Dr. Mulbah has been at the College for less than fifty days but has been able to initiate several reforms to the astonishment of the students.
For example, he said, at the moment the fees for credit hours have been reduced from six to five united states dollars, while registration has also been drastically reduced from the initial One Hundred fifteen US dollars to Seven five US dollars.
” I think Dr. Mulbah really mean well as far as making the Bong County Technical College assessibl and encouraging us( students) to take advantage of the College is concerned, and this could have been possible had it not being for the decision of President Sirleaf to appoint Dr. Mulbah, Ketor said”.
“Even most of our colleagues who left and some who were about to leave from the College because of what was perceived as actions undermining our learning are deciding to return because of the current reforms”
He said, Dr. Mulbah has also mandated that all scholarship students indebted to the College should receive their grade sheets as administration work with their donors to ensure their fees are paid.
Kertor told this paper, the office of the Dean for Student Services has issued a memo giving a go ahead to all students of the College to establish campus based organizations and all is being done to ensure we have election for an elected leadership of the student government.
Cecelia Kerkulah, a student of the College told this station, although much was done in the past, at least we now have a scrutinized course guide and now know where to go and what to do to graduate.
At the moment, our Library is fully functioning and the Laboratory is gradually nearing complention another student, Jutomue Taylor asserted.
This paper gathered that the Dr. Mulbah administration is working assiduously with other institutions including the Cuttington University to build a relationship aimed at strengthening the learning environment at the College.
The Bong County Technical College is a four years degree offering Institution in the areas of Agriculture, Mining and Civil engineering, Computer Science, as well as education and Health and Allied sciences.
President Sirleaf closed the Bong County Technical College in June this year following a series of protests by students.
Prior to his appointment as Interim President of the Bong County Technical College, Dr. Charles K. Mulbah served as dean of the College of Agriculture and Sustainable Development at the Cuttington University.