Capitol Hill, Monrovia – The ‘vanguard’ Student Unification Party (SUP) of the University of Liberia says the cut in the university’s budget for fiscal year 2020/2021 is a systematic attempt of the Weah-led Government to worsen the quality services rendered by the institution.
In a petition submitted to the House of Representatives under the signatures of its Chairman, Charles M. Songha, and Secretary General, S. Ephraim T. Nyumah, SUP called for the increment of the University’s budget and reopening of normal classes.
On Thursday, dozens of SUP’s members, dressed in their revolutionary attires- khakis and berets and chanting slogans and battle cries stormed the grounds of the Capitol Building with their to present their petition to the House of Representatives.
“SUP sees the consistent reduction in the budget of the University of Liberia as a heavy punch in the face of education and a systematic attempt by the government of Liberia to further deteriorate the quality of education the university has been providing and further undermines it credibility and integrity,” SUP said in its request presented to Rep. Rustonlyn Suacoco Dennis, Chairperson of the House Committee on Claims and Petition.
The students said since the inception of the Weah-led government, there have been a ‘persistent reduction’ in the annual budget of the University of Liberia and ‘persistent increase’ in the allotments of some line ministries and agencies.
In the FY 2020/2021 draft national budget as submitted by President Weah to the Legislature, the University of Liberia’s budget was cut from US$17.2 million (FY2019/2020) to US$16 million for FY2020/2021, while the budget of the Ministry of Internal Affairs increased from US$6.3m to US$20.8m and the Monrovia City Cooperation (MCC) from US$2.5m to US$4.1m.
The move, the students say is a direct contradiction to the advancement of education for national growth and development as espoused in the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD).
“Prioritizing institutions that play minimal role in the area of youth capacity development more than the state-run University which is the major nucleus for the development of youth and student capacities for national development and societal transformation is a complete mockery to education in Liberia,” they condemned.
They called for the increase in the University of Liberia’s budget to the minimum of US$25 million to ensure the smooth operation of the institution in line with Article 34-D of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia which gives the National Legislature the constitutional responsibility to make allocation for the fiscal governance of the Republic.
The students also called on the Legislature to prevail on the authorities of the University of Liberia, the National Commission on Higher Education and the Ministry of Education to immediately reopen the University of Liberia to normal traditional classes and make electronic learning [online learning] optional.
They also called for the immediate opening of all universities and colleges as well as vocational schools across the Country like other countries in Africa including Cameroon, Tanzania and Senegal, among others.
The University of Liberia, in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak launched its e-Learning program for all of its students including undergraduates and postgraduates. But SUP says the E-Learning program is not working properly.
“We want to inform the Legislature that the e-Learning program is unsystematic, premature and not in the interest of the general student populace thus we are calling on the University Authority to either make the E-Learning optional or open university and introduce all health protocols and preventive measures use to fight against the coronavirus as done by other universities and High schools.”
According to the students, research conducted by SUP and independent entities show that out of the 19,000 students of the university, only 2000 students have registered and of the number, just 500 have successfully enrolled and receiving notes through emails and WhatsApp chartrooms. They furthered that 16,000 students have not registered.
In addition, they noted that more students are expected to stay out of school this semester due to the harsh economic condition imposed by the COVID-19 Pandemic and also due to the lack of accessibility and affordability of technological tools like smartphones, computers and other electronic gadgets as well as poor internet connectivity and unstable electricity.
The lack of computer knowledge or training by both instructors and students of the University of Liberia is a major obstacle to the execution of e-Learning program at the nation’s premier university at this time, the students told the lawmakers.
Receiving the petition, Rep. Dennis thanked the students for the peaceful and constitutional assembly and promised to present their request to House Speaker Bhofal Chambers to be placed before plenary for response.