Teachers College Of UL Demands U.S.$30.00 Benefit, Others

Students from the Teachers College of the University of Liberia Thursday, staged a protest in front of the Education Ministry on 3rd Street, Sinkor to demand a US$30.00 and other benefits due them.

The students who are on the ministry's scholarship program cordoned all entrances into the building, thereby making it impossible for officials to get out.

Teachers College students claimed that their scholarship fees are yet to be paid along with other financial benefits allegedly approved by the Liberian government.

According to the students, they entered into contract with the Liberian government through the Ministry of Education on a pre-service teachers program, but nothing has been done for the past 27 months, claiming also that the Ministry has failed to honor its side of the contract.

The students accused MOE authority of not being very responsive in the implementation of the contract that binds them, adding "despite efforts to meet up with the grade points required by the scholarship standards, it is still impossible for the MOE authority to rapidly respond by meeting up with the obligations of tuition payment and personal fees for transportations."

According to them, they are entitled to about US$30.00 monthly as well as payment of their tuitions, but stressed that MOE is yet to make payment.

After hours of tension and pressure, students' representatives were called in for dialogue.

At the end of the meeting, their leader, Cyrus K.T. Kortu, said the MOE authority asked the leadership to meet with authority again another date.

He said they will not give up the process until their concerns are addressed, since the registration process at the University of Liberia was winding down gradually.

When the communication department of the MOE was contacted, a staff who refused to be quoted claimed that authority will still hold talks with the aggrieved pre-service students. At such, the official declined any comments.