PHOTO: NCHE Executive Director, Dr. Edward Lama Wonkeryor
“Education, particularly higher education, will take Africa into the mainstream of globalization” — Dr. Wonkeryor echoes the words of former Ghanaian President John Agyekum Kufuor
By Alfred Kollie, alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
Monrovia, Liberia – July 7, 2025—Dr. Edward Lama Wonkeryor, Executive Director of the National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE), has expressed strong support and high expectations for the University of Liberia’s (UL) newly proposed doctoral programs, calling them a significant milestone in the advancement of higher education in the country.
The NVHE boss was speaking over the weekend at the UL Capitol Hill campus during the formal presentation of the university’s application to introduce doctoral degrees—including a PhD in Gender and Security Studies.
Dr. Wonkeryor emphasized the urgent national need for such advanced academic offerings.
“This is a milestone for Liberian higher education,” he declared, adding that doctoral programs are “compellingly necessary” for producing skilled, innovative professionals capable of transformative leadership.
The UL initiative follows similar strides by other institutions such as Cuttington University and builds on UL’s existing doctoral programs in Education and Health Sciences.
Dr. Wonkeryor praised the university for its close collaboration with the NCHE and highlighted its recent donation of land for the NCHE secretariat as a symbol of strong institutional partnership.
As part of his remarks, the NCHE Executive Director laid out clear expectations for the new programs, stressing that they must prepare students to become not only top-tier scholars and professionals but also empowered leaders equipped to serve Liberia and compete internationally.
“These programs must meet best international practices so that their graduates can match their counterparts in the ECOWAS region and beyond,” he said, insisting that student admissions must be rigorous to ensure only the most qualified candidates enter.
Dr. Wonkeryor urged the UL administration to dedicate the Capitol Hill campus exclusively to graduate and postgraduate studies, recommending that undergraduate programs be moved to the Fendell campus.
He also called for innovative funding strategies, urging UL to seek financial resources beyond the national budget.
“To ensure faculty excellence, they must be well qualified—and well taken care of,” he noted, pointing to a direct link between academic output and remuneration.
In closing, Dr. Wonkeryor echoed the words of former Ghanaian President John Agyekum Kufuor, stating, “Education, particularly higher education, will take Africa into the mainstream of globalization.”