ZWEDRU, GRAND GEDEH CO.: Students of the Grand Gedeh Community College (GGCC) in Zwedru City are bemoaning the harsh learning conditions allegedly created by the President of the College, Dr. Solomon X. Y. Jallahyu.
Lamenting over a myriad of factors that they say are leading to the appalling learning condition at their tertiary institution, the students of GGCC, in a petition statement, listed the imposition of high costs to enrollment, denial from benefiting from President George Manneh Weah’s tuition free program at public institutions; poor compensation for lecturers, untidy learning environment, on the school’s campus, inadequate sitting capacity for students, lack of qualified instructors for some departments, no capacity building opportunity for lecturers and administrators as well as poorly equipped computer lab.
The group of students, under the banner: “Concerned Students of the Grand Gedeh Community College” said “since the pronouncement of the free tuition policy by President George Manneh Weah, more than four years ago, they have not benefited from the largesse” while the previous tuition of L$4,500 to L$5,500 has been mercilessly increased by more than a triple of the initial amount.
The students disclosed that this has “led to more than 38% of their fellow students to drop from school and also dissuading many young people from seeking higher education at the college”, which they say, undermines the original intent for the establishment of the institution in 2011.
The Concerned Students Group calls on the school administration, headed by Dr. Jallahyu to implement the Government of Liberia’s tuition free policy or reduce the existing fees currently charged to a considerable amount that the underprivileged young people can afford.
They are recommending about a 50% reduction in the astronomical amount that is being paid now.
According to the Concerned Students, they have information that approximately 30% of lecturers at the school are not placed on payroll. “As advocates of academic freedom and excellence, we strongly believe that the lack of compensation to some of our educators has the propensity of diverting and jeopardizing their focus from professionally discharging their duties.
We are not begging but asking you (Dr. Solomon X.Y Jallayu) to immediately place our lecturers on payroll for their services as you are also being paid for yours,” the students emphasized, in their statement, issued on June 14, 2022 in Zwedru City, Grand Gedeh County in Southeast, Liberia.
The students complained about inadequate seating capacity that is causing them to carry chairs on their heads from one class to another, to attend classes.
Students also indicated the lack of computers in the lab and the unavailability of internet facilities to enhance their learning through research.
The concerned student leaders are Dorcas Dweh, Department of Health Science; Washington Beh, Department of Education; Abraham Korjor, Department of Agriculture; Ustine P. Noah, Department of Divinity; Emmanuel B. Waylee, Jr., Department of Science and Technology; Stanley Dulah, Department of Business; William J. Deah and Lexington Great-man, Chairman and student of the Department of Education, signed the petition with a three weeks ultimatum for the President of the college to look into their concerns or risk being declared persona non grata, and call for his resignation.
Responding to the students’ claims, the President of the Grand Gedeh Community College, Dr. Solomon X. Y Jallahyu, said it is untrue that there has been an increment in students’ activities fees for the past four years.
Dr. Jallahyu disclosed that he is fully implementing President Weah’s tuition free policy, contrary to the students’ allegation.
“We are implementing the tuition free policy to the fullest. In fact, 75 percent of the students’ activities fees are paid by donors and it is not even forthcoming. We do not have a sitting capacity problem. Try to contact the Student Council government to balance what they are saying.
“We even bought a bus that takes students to school where they pay only LD$20 from tuition free grant,” he said.
On the allegation of not employing qualified lecturers, the GGCC President indicated, “Teachers who were or are on other government payrolls cannot be accommodated on other government payroll like ours. So, we have them with little compensation on our supplementary payroll that we pay from fees. We can only recommend to the Civil Service Agency for employment but the decision is not within my purview to make regarding putting employees on the Government’s payroll.
“Yes, we have a computer lab that is operating for introductory computer courses in our curriculum. I can remember we got some computers from the States as far back in the computer lab and GSA gave us some computers that are in the computer lab as well. As time went by, some of the computers spoiled. We will need money to keep replacing them. The money we don’t have, as a government, is constrained financially as well as the college.
“We are also asking donors to help. Nobody gave Dr. Jallayu computer money and he didn’t buy a computer for the lab,” he added.
