A POSITION PAPER
Pero M. K. Kerkula
Former Senior Coordinator
University of Liberia Alumni Affairs in the Americas.
Tel.: 0778 729 349
Email: peromkkerkula@yahoo.com
Issued in Support of the Position of the Authority of the Executive Committee of ULFASA*
August 12, 2026
Introduction
Higher education is the bedrock of national development, innovation, and human capital formation. At the center of this mission are academic faculty, whose core responsibilities include teaching, research, curriculum development, mentorship, and institutional service.
For the University of Liberia to advance its academic standing and fulfill its mandate as the nation’s flagship institution, it is imperative that academic faculty be accorded the respect and remuneration commensurate with their qualifications and contributions.
Elaboration
Academic faculty at the University of Liberia hold terminal degrees, professional certifications, and extensive specialized training. They are charged with producing research, training professionals, and shaping national policy through scholarship and public service. These responsibilities demand intellectual rigor and continuous professional development that are equivalent to those required of *senior government employees* in ministries, agencies, and commissions.
However, current faculty compensation does not reflect this equivalence. The disparity undermines faculty morale, accelerates attrition, and weakens the University’s capacity to recruit and retain qualified scholars. When academic labor is economically undervalued, it signals that teaching and research are secondary to other forms of public service, thereby eroding the academic excellence required of a national university.
Justification for Pay Parity with Senior Government Employees of Comparable Qualifications
- Qualification Equivalence: Faculty members possess Master’s and Doctoral degrees that meet or exceed the academic requirements for senior government employees. Compensation structures should therefore reflect this parity.
- Scope of Responsibility: Like senior government employees, faculty provide leadership in policy formulation, research, and capacity building. They train the civil servants, judges, doctors, engineers, and educators who run the state.
- Institutional Advancement: Globally, universities that achieve high academic status do so by benchmarking faculty pay against senior public service scales. Competitive remuneration is essential for accreditation, research funding, and international collaboration.
- Retention and Quality Assurance*: Equitable pay aligned with senior government employees will reduce brain drain, retain experienced faculty, and ensure continuity in teaching and mentorship at the University of Liberia.
Conclusion and Recommendation
I fully endorse the statement issued by the Authority of the Executive Committee of ULFASA. To advance the status and teaching mission of the University of Liberia, I recommend that the Government of Liberia and the University Administration:
- Immediately benchmark and adjust faculty salaries to achieve parity with senior government employees of comparable qualifications and experience; and
- Institutionalize respect for academic work through improved conditions of service, research support, and professional recognition.
Only through such decisive action can the University of Liberia retain its best minds and deliver quality higher education in service to the nation.