Students say decision to make tuition free is not enough

Despite Liberian President George Weah’s recent announcement of tuition-free education at public universities and colleges in Liberia, students are making additional demands. Some students said although they welcome the free tuition, there are many other challenges facing them, including transport to and from their institutions, writes Edwin Genoway for Front Page Africa.

Edward Norman, the speaker of the Students Legislative Assembly of the University of Liberia Students Union, said that the ‘free tuition’ policy by the government has dropped the prestige of student politics on campus. “If you heard the president after he announced the free tuition, he [the president] said there will now be no noise on campus. We believe it is a clever attempt by the president to abolish student politics on campus,” he said.

Before the announcement of the free tuition, many student-based organisations leading scholarship and financial aid schemes managed several thousands of dollars allocated for scholarships. At the same time, several politicians also had their constituents benefiting through scholarships. There are now increasing fears that some of these individuals might lose the influence they once had.
Full report on Front Page Africa site