Monrovia – The Liberian government has frowned on the action of scholarship students to besiege the Liberian Embassy in Morocco in demand of their allowance.
In recent weeks, Liberian students studying in the north African nation have repeatedly complained that they have not received allowances for several months from their government.
The students posted on social media that they are financially stranded and are suffering because their government has not sent their allowances after several pleads to the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
The bilateral scholarship agreement between the two governments has existed for over 50 years and it’s geared towards educating Liberian students in higher disciplines.
The Moroccans provide institutions for Liberia students to study various disciplines, while the Liberian government is fully responsible to provide homes, feeding, transportation, money for school materials, health insurance, etc, for its students, the leader of students John Saylay Singbae posted on the social media.
But speaking during the Ministry of Information Regular Press Briefing Thursday, August 8, Liberia’s education minister said the students who protested at the Embassy in Morocco have overstayed and need to come back home.
“The only money this government has is for plane tickets. Students who have overstayed have to come home back home,” said Education Minister Professor Ansu Sonii.
“How can someone do marketing strategy for 11 years,” Prof. Sonii said.
The Education Boss disclosed that unlike support from the Liberian government, the Moroccan government also gives each student US$7 every month as allowance.
Minister Sonii said that many students are “not doing well”e in their study thus making it difficult to get allowances from the Morocco government.
“It looks like some of these students have failed their course that is why they are not getting their money from the Moroccan government,” Prof. Sonii said.
According to the education minister, 86 students are in Morocco and that in November 2018, the government sent an additional 54 students, including the seven students who performed extraordinarily in the WASSCE.
Out of the said number of students, 54 students are freshmen and that their rents were paid by the Liberian government for one whole year, he said.
“There should be no complaint from students in the diaspora. Besides, students in a foreign country should no way their embassy in a foreign country,” Minister Sonii said.
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