Education Minister Dao Ansu Sonii has warned Liberian students benefiting from the Chinese government scholarships not to go missing or run away following the completion of their studies in China.
He said visas issued to them can only last for 1 month immediately after the study; therefore it is imperative upon the beneficiaries to return home thereafter instead of running off.
These were comments contained in Sonii’s observation during a pre-departure ceremony held for beneficiaries of the Chinese government scholarship last Friday in Monrovia.
He stated that once you are a scholar, you are an ambassador of your country and as such, Liberian students crossing to another country to improve their educational development which range from undergraduate to graduate studies are not exempted.
Sonii told the recipients that when they return to Liberia after completion of their studies in China, they should not look elsewhere for a job but to be part of their respective universities’ faculty at home.
He then thanked the Chinese government for the continual assistance it is providing Liberia be it in academic or technical and vocational education in the reconstruction drive of the country following years of conflict.
Sonii also acknowledged receipt of 1, 000 bags of the 25 kilograms of rice from the Chinese Embassy to be distributed to schools of choice; perhaps mainly primary levels or early childhood divisions that are in dire need.
Also, in a concise remark by the president of the University of Liberia, Julius Sarwolo Nelson, said events like such continue to build important relationship between Liberia and China over the years.
He said China has mostly contributed to Liberia’s educational growth or development agenda admitting that the University of Liberia has been one of the beneficiaries.
Nelson then admonished his compatriots to make full use of the time during their study in China as Liberia needs them most in order to build its human capacity development program.
Other speakers like the presidents of Cuttington University Romelle Horton; Bomi County’s Community College Abimelech Gbartu; and the Chief Medical Officer of the Jackson Fiah Doe Regional Medical Hospital, all admonished Liberian students through video links to take their studies seriously but with the hope that Liberia could reciprocate by hosting Chinese students from various universities on study tours here in the future.
