Fendall, Montserrado – State run University of Liberia is expected to celebrate its 100th graduation exercise in December this year, but it faces several problems including the lack of logistics and instructional materials.
The University Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. William Ezra Allen told FrontPage Africa Thursday, March 7, that UL is still faced with the challenge of owning its own printing press.
“There are several projects, and one is a printing press. University of Liberia wants to establish a printing press. Our diplomats and documents are printed outside the university campus.” Dr. Allen stressed.
“We don’t have the equipment and we believe that a printing press will solve most of those problems, so we want a printing press.”
Aside from printing press, Dr. Allen says there’s pressing need to improve the school infrastructure to serve the growing student population.
“We are registering students for our entrance exam and the number I saw is 4,000 plus and with two examination a year, we will need more classrooms, we will need more faculty, more desk and buses to transport students,” he said.
He, however, said faculty members are being trained in different capacities, while a mobile lab and pre-clinical dormitory have being dedicated.
He added that the university is looking at reviewing the situation to run a trimester.
“While we are celebrating, we realize that there are areas we need to strengthened and we will strengthened as we go about. As it stands now, we have two of our students in the United States doing Masters in some branches of Computer program while another is a lady doing Master in Mining Engineering at South Dakota University and five other students studying in Africa.” Dr. Allen averred.
In the face of these challenges Dr. Allen maintained that the institution has made some tremendous strive in enhancing students education growth since 1966.
According to him, these progresses made since its inception as a college from 1866 to 2019 cannot be over emphasized and must be recognized through a centennial celebration.
In view of this, UL said it will celebrate a centennial graduation in December this year to mark the 100 commencement ceremony since UL was known as Liberia College.
“The college was founded in 1862 and began classes in 1863. During the 1866 graduation, the college put out one student James Henry Elvans compare to 2018, we put out 3,000 students, you can see how far we have come since 1966,” Dr. Allen stressed.
Dr. Allen said the centennial graduation is expected to be celebrated under the theme, “Memory Preservation and the way forward.”
According to him, activity marking the celebration is expected to be launched on Monday, March 11, 2019 by UL President Dr. Ophelia Inez Weeks at the University of Liberia auditorium on Capitol Hill and will be held on a monthly basis.
Dr. Allen noted that during the launch, students are expected to dramatize the 1866 graduation of the university that put out only one student. At the same time, special presentations are expected to be made in April and May of this years’ as part of activities leading to the December Centennial Graduation Commemoration.