By S. Siapha Mulbah
The Youth Congress Association and hundreds of students from different high schools in Montserrado County gathered over the weekend to appreciate President George Weah on accounts that he paid their fees for the West African Secondary Schools certificate Examinations (WASSCE).
The group disclosed that since its ascendency to the nation’s highest seat, the administration has continued to commit to educational development across the country from high schools and university levels through the free tuition policy.
On Friday June 16, 2023, the Samuel Kanyon Doe Basketball Gymnasium witnessed the mammoth turn-up of young people with the intention to interact with the President at what they coined as an appreciation ceremony.
The Youth Congress Association through the Executive Director Emmanuel T. Wiah said the working of the presidency on paying fees for all students writing the regional exams has reduced the cost of education on parents.
Wiah added the free tuition policy introduced by the Chief Executive has enable thousands of youth in the country to have access to higher education which motivated the students and youth community to gather as a show of appreciation.
The organizers said, “Many of us in state run universities are beneficiaries of the free tuition policy led by President Weah and his government.”
“For the past five years, there has been not a dame paid by any twelve-grader sitting the regional exams in any part of Liberia. These expenses had been cut off our parents’ heads.”
“For that we see the President as a lover of the development of the future generation by inspiring us to learn. We are gratified that since he thought in our direction, he continues to live up to the commitment he had with the student community in his first term.”
Meanwhile, the youth and student community used the occasion to call on the executive branch of government to push for the enactment into law the two educational policies in order to legitimize said good programs freeing it from political will.
In a petition presented to the Minister of Youth and Sports, D. Zoegar Wilson, the students referenced that it is a high cost on the current administration to fund the two major policies and other programs in the educational sector and if it is not a law any other regime after the Coalition for Democratic Change will tamper with it as a political will.
“Looking at these initiatives they are all good for this country and we as beneficiaries today believe that it is in national interest. We are calling on the President and all branches of government to make these policies laws for those that are coming after us,” the petitioners prayed.
