By Augustine Octavius,augustineoctavius@gmail.com
In the wake of widespread hike in tuition and fees in both private and public schools, the Education Ministry in Liberia says it has set up a Taskforce to ensure that schools charge reasonable fees.
The dramatic increase in fees come as the country experiences serious economic crisis, with inflation in the double digit and the unemployment rate going higher.
The very high tuition and fees being charged by schools around Liberia has reportedly led to drop in enrollment for the current academic semester, something that has triggered serious public outcry.
Members of the Liberian Senate took up the issue in plenary recently and summoned Education Minister Prof. D. Ansu Sonii to appear before the body last Thursday. But as the Minister mounted the stand to speak on this and other issues hampering the country’s education system many Senators, including the newly elected Montserrado County Senator Darius Dillon, slipped out of the chambers in what Capitol Building Reporters said chasing after their ten thousand US dollars extended two-week Legislative session compensation.
According to Ministry, it has observed that there has been a dramatic increase in tuition and fees by private and public schools in the country.
Deputy Education Minister for Administration, Latim Dathong announced the launch of the taskforce to Journalists in Monrovia on Monday, September 16, 2019.
He said private schools will be asked by the taskforce to provide justification for the increase in the fees at their schools.
Deputy Minister Dathong added that the Education Ministry will compare the current fees of private schools with what they charged few years ago.
The Education Ministry official noted that form will be given to over 3,000 private schools to provide the Ministry with details of how, why tuition has been increased noting that schools that will not justify will asked to reduce their fees.
The Acting Education Minister noted that school that will not comply with taskforce will have their license revoked and students their denied from benefiting from government including scholarship.
Deputy Minister Dathong has at the same time threatened to sack principals of government-run schools, who are overly charging their students contrary to government stipulated fees.
According to Deputy Education Minister, County and District Education Officers are being tasked to inquire from all private and public schools throughout the country.
Deputy Minister Dathong maintained that all schools have been given up to Friday to fill an inquiry form and have same submitted to the county, district and ministry before date mentioned.
The Deputy Education Minister made it clear that the entire process is expected to last for 21 days.