Aggrieved students at the Harbel College (HARCO) are demanding the Board of Directors, National Commission on Higher Education, Ministry of Education, and the Margibi County’s Legislative Caucus to immediately intervene in the crisis at the school.
They are calling on President Weah to use his appointing power to resolve the conflict so as to enable them resume classes beginning Monday, 26 September, 2022.
The students made the statement when they met with Mr. Edward Lama Wonkeryor, Director of Higher Education at the National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE’s), Louise Reeves, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Harbel Community college and other stakeholder during a mass meeting in Harbel recently.
The students furthered threatened that if the president does not resolve the conflict immediately, they will continue to disrupt all learning activities in Margibi County both in the private and public school sectors; from primary to secondary schools as well as vocational and technical institutions.
In response, the Director for Higher Education, Edward Lama Wonkeryor informed the aggrieved students that the President is out of the country attending the United Nations General Assembly but they care to listen to grievances.
The students complained that they will not be sitting home while others continue with their learning. “These strike actions by students and faculty are responsible for the overstay of students at universities and colleges in Liberia. We will not let this happen to us,” a student said to journalists at the presentation of their position statement to their school’s administration.
The aggrieved students are further demanding the resignation of Syrulwa Somah as president of the college or be dismissed by the president. According to them, his leadership has not impacted the institution since he took over the leadership of the college in 2016.
The students have however accused Dr. Somah of not being accountable for monies provided to the school from the national budget as well as national and international partners for its operation.
They believe his return as President of the college would exacerbate the already toxic situation at the institution.
However, frantic efforts to resolve the situation between the students and the administration are exerted by parents and local authorities in Margibi County.
An official of the college who does not want to be named told this paper that stakeholders were meeting with the faculty on the matter.
He said those meeting with the students included the Commission on Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Margibi County Legislative Caucus, Board of Directors of the College, and faculty.
