By Charles Gbayor,charlesmenlor@gmail.com
Harper –Just as the state-owned University of Liberia in Monrovia is cash strapped so is the William V.S. Tubman University in Liberia’s southeastern Maryland County and other public schools of higher learning.
Named after Liberia’s 18th President, William V.S. Tubman, this is the second and only Government higher institution of learning located in set up to provide quality education to the people for transformation of the Liberian society .
But in recent times, Tubman University has been faced with a huge budgetary constrain months before President George Weah pronounced tuition free for all Government Universities and colleges across the country.
Since the Liberian leader made the pronouncement which says tuition free for all government universities and colleges, the pronouncement has provided many high school graduates who cannot afford to pay fees at the University of Liberia and Tubman University or Community Colleges the opportunity to enroll there.
Since the pronouncement by the Liberian Leader students has begun enjoying the opportunity provided by the Government of Liberia, but this is now posing serious financial problems. The TU Administration is currently suffering from the fees cut off by the Government, because these fees were used to run the institution and higher or bring in New lecturers/professors.
Recently, US$200,000.00 was also cut off the institution (TU ) goods and service budget by the House of Representative during the budget hearing which makes it difficult for the administration to smoothly operate the institution .
A source at the University told this Reporter that the Administration has only received five thousand, two hundred and fifty united states Dollars to run the university from the Government of Liberia, since it current head President Dr. Elliot Wreh Wilson took over in March of 2018 after being appointed by President Weah .
With that said amount given to operate the University makes it difficult for the Administration to hire qualified professors to come and teach in harper at Tubman University.
It has also been gathered that Eleven Qualifed Professors/Lecturers left the University for Several Reasons at the beginning of the ongoing semester those professors that left TU are Richard Adu,Mae Gonzales ,Allen Gonzales ,Alein Perez ,Mario Carbajosa, Myth Carbajosa others are, Micheal Osondipe, James Gballah, Benit Carbajosa, Livitiecus Wamah and Abraham Kiazolu.
Some of these professors reportedly left the University because the Contract has Expired and the Current Administration was not making efforts to renew their contracts others left on Health and Family issues .
The University currently has a total enrollment of one thousand, nine hundred and forty four register students within its six colleges but struggling to provide quality Educational services to these students who have travelled from parts of Liberia and South Eastern Region to get higher education.
The Authority of TU has complain of Students not paying the Activities fees into the institution account at Ecobank Pleebo branch and is continuously cry out to the Government of Liberia for an increment to its annual budget .
Several letters were said to have been written and addressed to the University president on grounds that no professors was available to teach course of interest to students at the college of Arts and Sciences and the , College of Engineering and Technology.
The University’s administration in collaboration with the Tubman University Students Government Association held a successful beauty pageant this semester aimed at raising funds to make up for two hundred thousand united states dollars cut off its budget by the House of Representatives. In this effort, the administration of TU has made several calls and continue to appeal to the Government and the International Community for financial support.
Back in January this year, the President of the Tubman University Students Government Association, John E. Tarr while on vacation in the Liberian capital, Monrovia appeared on the Liberia Broadcasting System (ELBC 99.9) and the Liberia National Television ( LNTV). He called on the Maryland County Legislative Caucus at the time it was chair by the Senate Chairman on the committee of Internal Affairs ,Good Governance and Reconciliation, J. Gbleh –bo Brown ,the South Eastern Legislative Caucus of Liberia and the Liberian Government and its partners for an increment in the University’s annual budget for the smoothly operating of the school or the institution mighty closed down to financial reason .
Unfortunately for University, since these calls were made the Institution has not received any support or no intervention from the Government and its partners and both the Maryland County Legislative Caucus and the Southeastern Legislative Caucus of Liberia .
The William VS Tubman University since gaining it University status Under the Administration of Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2009 has graduated over 4,000 students from its six colleges. They are the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Technology, College of Administration and Management others are College of Agriculture and Food Science, College of Education and the College of Health Sciences from different departments in various discipline with B.sc Degree.
Tubman College now Tubman University Graduation and Convocation Ceremony was usually held in May of each year, but due to financial problem the Graduation time has been forwarded to June eleven ( 11) of this year. It is expected to Graduate students who have completed their Courses and are adequately prepared to Serve the Liberian Society in different areas of works .
While funds remain a serious problem for the administration, through negotiations with two Construction Companies the Administration currently the construction of pre-finance two giant-size buildings for the College of Health Sciences. This is expected to increase classroom capacity at the institution is nearing completion and the Graduation stamp to hold the graduation and convocation ceremony are also nearing completion to be used for their for internal purposes .
With a broke Economy the Government of Liberia continues to provide education for its citizens in some counties Across the country, with the establishment and construction of six communities colleges across the country and pronounced tuition free for these six communities Colleges and two public Universities. They are the University of Liberia and Tubman University , the Nimba County Community College soon to turn university in Ganta ,Nimba County, Grand Gedeh County Community College in Zwedru Grand Gedeh County, Grand Bassa County Community College ,in Buchanan ,Grand Bassa County, others are the Lofa County Community College in Vonjaman Lofa County and Sinoe County Community College in Greenville, Sinoe County.