By Bill W. Cooper
Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe has raised urgent concerns before the Liberian Senate regarding the plight of Liberian students stranded and struggling in Morocco due to unpaid arrears.
The senator, in a communication, addressed to his colleagues during Tuesday, March 11, 2025, sitting, further highlighted the struggles of these students who have been left in limbo as a result of the government’s failure to remit funds for their educational expenses.
He revealed that on February 27, 2025, a resolution outlining the grievances of students, including the severe hardships they are experiencing was presented to the Ministry of Education demanding urgent national intervention.
According to the Bomi County Senator, many of these students, who had travelled to Morocco on government scholarships, are now facing severe hardships, including the inability to pay for housing, food, and tuition, among others.
“Today, I stand before you colleagues and Pro-Tempore not just as a senator but as a concerned Liberian. Our students in Morocco are suffering. They are stranded, and it is our responsibility to ensure that they receive the support they need to continue their education,” Snowe declared.
However, Snowe’s address comes at a time when the government is struggling with economic and political challenges even though the issue of stranded students is not new, as it has been a recurring theme in discussions about past and current governments’ commitment to education.
But Sen. Snowe was further alarmed over the huge risk factor associated with the delay in payment of arrears for the students and warned, “While this issue has existed in past administrations, this current administration must act now to save the future of the struggling Students.”
The Senator, at the same time, named non-disbursement of financial allowances, absence of promised dormitory accommodations, and unexpected financial burdens such as registration fees, resident permit costs and rental expenses, which were not disclosed before their departure.
He also mentioned language barriers, an unusual factor which is said to be affecting the students’ economic progress, thus placing them in dire conditions in a country where they know no family members or relatives.
He explained that these challenges do not only hinder the student’s academic pursuits but also threaten their well-being. As such, he then pleaded for the indulgence of his colleagues to engage with relevant government ministries to ensure immediate relief for these students.
Sen. Snowe further called for the establishment of a structural support system that would adequately address all financial needs and living conditions for current and future government scholarship recipients.
“Because these young men and women are the future of Liberia. They have sacrificed so much to pursue their education abroad, and it is unacceptable that they are left to fend for themselves,” he added.
In response to Snowe’s remarks, several senators expressed their solidarity towards the students’ conditions and emphasized, “We have to act now because these students are our responsibility, and we cannot turn a blind eye to their suffering.”
Endorsing the communication from Sen. Snowe, a motion was proffered by Lofa County Senator, Joseph Jallah to refer the matter to the Senate’s Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Education and Public Administration with a mandate to report its findings within two weeks.