IPNews-Monrovia, Liberia-16 May 2018: The absence of science laboratory and learning materials is hampering learning outcome at the country`s second tertiary institution in Maryland Country.
Several students at the Tubman University in Maryland County have expressed serious disappointment over the absence of modern laboratory and equipment to enhance learning activities especially for the science department in the areas of nursing and allied health.
The students also revealed that lecturers at the institution are limited with one lecturer teaching over eight classes at the eight colleges on the campus.
In a statement commenting on the conduct of the recent student government election, the students are calling for a re-run to ensure a free, fair, transparent and democratic process in the education sector in the southeast.
Speaking to journalists ahead of the official celebration of World Press Freedom Day in Maryland County, Smith Samah, secretary general of the student association, who is also chairman of the Student Unification Alliance (SUP), has accused the school administration and the elections commission to taking side during the conduct of the elections.
“The final registration roll (FRR) were not used because names of some students at the university were not on the voter roll. Another reason is that the president of the university might have interfered or tempered with election results,” he noted.
According to him, the ballot papers were not also enough and the election commission allegedly transported ballot papers to unknown places, and he cited also that the president had undermined the student handbook, and the teachers are not even enough but are limited at the institution.
While it is true that the elections were held on April 26, 2018, the chairman of the student party is therefore using the occasion to call on the administration of the university to consider a re-run and make democracy thrive on the campus.
According to him, of all the polls observed, many were marred by irregularities, including lesser ballot papers than the voters, voters stuck up in long queues and the commercialization of a specific polling center in the education building (annex three) with 500 extra ballots detected.
“The board of commissioner of the elections commission fail to observe electoral fraud in the FFR by not using the listing of FRR,” the student representative further alleged.
When contacted, the office assistant to the vice president of the university, only identified as Jorenzo, promised to arrange an appointment to meet with his boss, but his telephone line has been perpetually switched off.
Earlier, the team of journalists had gone on the university campus to authenticate claims made by the Student Government Association and Student Unification Alliance, the main campus-based student opposition political party, that the administration tempered with election results in the interest of a student government that is subject to their control.
But, education pundits are of the opinion that with nearly five holders of bachelor`s degree in education from the Tubman University, teaching students at the Cavalla Central Site High School in Pleebo, only three students passed in the 2016/2017 exams conducted by the West African Examinations Council
Responding to the allegation levied against the administration, the acting Vice President Dr. S. Benson Barh dismissed claims made by the student opposition political party that the administration interfered with student politics.
“The engineering laboratory is functioning even though there are no chairs due to increasing number of students. We are working very hard to improve the quality of education in the southeastern region,” Dr. Benson added
According to him, the university is going through challenges that government should consider the efforts in building quality education in the country.
He used the occasion to warn 20 students out of 48,000 which according to him appear to be disgruntle.
Also in a comment, the Associate Vice President for Finance and Budget, Emmanuel Y. Harmon with the 2016/2017 fiscal budget of US$200,000 in goods and service and staff salaries, the administration had struggled to provide a smooth learning environment.
He added that with the projected budget for the next fiscal year of US$15 million, several of these challenges will be dealt with.
“The science lab is there but it is not well equipped due to low budget,” the Associate Vice President for Finance and Budget admitted to students` claim.
