FLASHBACK: Protesting GBU students
By King Brown, sarwahking@gmail.com
Grand Bassa County Correspondent
BUCHANAN, Liberia- The latest new wave of student unrest which this week engulfed the Grand Bassa University (GBU) has come to an end.
GBU was only just recently was elevated to this level from the Grand Bassa County Community College in the south of the country.
Calm has now been restored and normal classes at the University in this port city has resumed, after the disruption of Monday and Tuesday regular classes by some protesting students calling for the immediate dismissal of the University’s President, Dr. Samuel Monwell.
The aggrieved students who are graduates, but still doing some courses at the university, early Monday morning (July 18, 2022) staged a peaceful protest, declaring the campus a no go zone. They blocked the damaged bridge linking Buchanan to the school and chanted slogans against Dr. Monwell, saying that don’t want him any longer, something that brought all academic activities to a standstill.
The group head, Tyrom Gofa Dopoe said their protest action was based on 15 counts they have against President Monwell in which they claimed that since President George Weah announced the free tuition at all public colleges and universities in Liberia, Dr. Monwell has been collecting fees from them. This is yet to be independently verified.
Mr. Doepoe added that Dr. Samuel Monwell single handedly withdrew US$ 30 –Thousand dollars in the name of purchasing a new bus, but surprisingly bought a bus that ran for only six days and broke down though Dr. Monwell has called on them to provide evidence of the money of which they have accused him of.
Among other counts, is the failure of Dr. Monwell to improve the nursing department which has led to its closure by the Board of Nursing and midwifery of Liberia for one year leaving hundreds of students studying Health Sciences vulnerable.
Initially, the protest was later calmed down on Monday, after the County Attorney Randolph Johnson intervened and told the protesting students to take their petition to the County Administration. But the group named and styled, “concerned students” told the County Attorney that their protest will continue up to Tuesday until Dr. Monwell can forcibly resign.
They gave Dr. Monwell an ultimatum of 72 hours, which is three days, to resign or threatened unspecified action to be taken against him by them, while Dr. Monwell also threatened to revoke their degrees of any student who will cause instability at the campus.
Upsurge prompted officials intervention
Based on the statement of the University President and refusal of the county administration to show up and received the protesting students’ petition, they declared the campus “No Go Zoon” and staged another round of protest on Tuesday which prompted the Chairman of the Grand Bassa Legislative Caucus Representative Hans Barchue and Superintendent Janjay Baikpeh to intervene and received the petition.
Receiving the petition on Tuesday, Rep. Barchue, who is District #1 Lawmaker, calls for the amendment in the act that established the Grand Bassa University.
The Lawmaker said he wants the act to be amended to allow those appointed by the President of Liberia to work on a tenure basis at the University noting that all of the issues listed in the aggrieved Alumni and students of the Grand Bassa University 15 counts petition might have happened due to the lack of a full member of the Board of Trustees.
Speaking on Tuesday to the students, Rep. Barchue assured the protestors that he will meet the rest of the caucus members to set up a committee to investigate the counts that are mentioned in their petition in order to find solutions to their grievances.
The Caucus Chairman promised the students that he will take their complaint to his colleagues in order to meet President George Weah so that the other board of Trustees members of the University can be appointed.
Meanwhile, the protesters and the University’s administration peacefully ended a dialogue yesterday,Tuesday at the Trabencou Resort in Buchanan and agreed to wait on the decision from the board of trustees within the next two weeks.
Based on that, the Grand Bassa University is set to resume normal classes Wednesday, July 20, 2022 after the disruption of Monday and Tuesday classes because of the students’ protest in which they were calling for the immediate dismissal of the President of the University, Dr. Samuel Monwell.
The Spokesperson of the protesting students of the Grand Bassa University, Ralph Davis says they have suspended the ongoing protest until otherwise.
According to Mr. Davis, their protest which was supposed to continue until Dr. Samuel Monwell resigns, was halted due to an agreement between them and the county authority.
Mr. Davis said that the superintendent and the chair of the caucus, Hon Barchue, have received their 15 counts resolution as he promised to get back to them.
He mentioned that Hon. Barchue assured them of taking their petition to the rest of the caucus members for discussion; and thereafter, he will tell them the outcome of the meeting by this Thursday.
The students’ spokesperson said that if the county authority and the Caucus fail to get back to them as promised; they will take an unspecified action against Dr. Samuel Monwell.
However, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Grand Bassa University, Dr. Lawrence Bropleh has used the occasion to encourage students of the Health Sciences department to remain calm and obey state regulation that is intended to promote quality education.
According to Dr. Bropleh, though such decision from the Board of Nursing and Midwifery to close, the nursing program is disappointing, but they are working with relevant authorities to become fully prepared for the reassessment process which he said will see the university’s Nursing Department re-accredited.
Dr. Bropleh, who is Advisor to President Weah, said in respect to the Board’s regulation, they have placed hold on new enrollment of students in the nursing program and suspended graduation of students from that department of the university.
He said the university will not offer direct nursing courses including clinical until the board of the nursing and Midwifery lift its ban on the college of Health sciences.
GBU Board gives order for administrative actions
Meanwhile, the Board Chairman has ordered the Vice President for Academic Affairs to work with the Dean of College of Nursing to offer all preliminary and required courses outside the direct specialized nursing courses and clinical activities.
He said that they have constituted members of the County Health Team and key staff of the college of Health Sciences at GBU to work with the Board of Nursing and Midwifery of the Ministry of Health to upgrade the facilities up to their satisfaction.
Recently, the Liberia Board of Nursing and midwifery denied the department of Health Sciences at the Grand Bassa University accreditation for one year to operate.
A communication from the Nursing Board in our possession stated the nursing department scored 69 percent out of the threshold of 80 percent during the assessment which made the university fall short of eleven percent to meet accreditation criteria.
According to the communication, the Nursing board has encouraged the university to work with its team to upgrade the facilities for reaccreditation after another reassessment exercise is done.
Based on that, the administration of the University headed by Dr. Samuel Monwell has accepted the Board’s decision.
Despite the decision, the communication also noted that Dr. Monwell is still pleading with the Board to allow the University continue its nursing program, as the ongoing improvement exercises get completed, something the board has not adhered to.