The Ministry of Education has commissioned a Taskforce to investigate concerns from parents and students about an abnormal hike in fees by some private secondary schools.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday September 16, 2019, the Acting Minister of Education, Latim Dathong cautioned any such administrators of public, private, faith-based and community schools to remain honest and desist from exploiting students.
He added that the fees charged by a school must commensurate to the services provided.
Dathong used the medium to announce the establishment of a Taskforce mandated to probe complaints of abnormal hike in school fees nation-wide and report to the Senior Management Team of the Ministry within 21 days.
Education authorities in Liberia say the taskforce is authorized to compare recent fees charged by schools, analyze and report any variance.
It also meant to measure details of fees charged by a school for last academic year compared to the current. The Acting Minister confirmed that once a school is flagged for hike in fees, the Ministry will seek to examine reasons for the increment.
He also insisted that schools will be penalized for unjustifiable increment if it is established thereof.
Politicizing the fees hike
Acting Minister Dathong used the occasion to frown on any politician who wants to use the education system to score political points by releasing unsubstantial information to the public. He further added that the excellence of the work of the like of Minister Sonii, himself and other ministers of the Ministry of Education within the private sector resulted to the president.
LINSU wants Sonii out
Liberia National Student Union Monday staged a protest at the Ministry of Education calling for the dismissal or resignation of Education Minister Ansu Sonni.
Addressing reporters at the Ministry of Education, LINSU President Mohammed Kamara said Minister Sonni ‘s refusal to properly manage the sector is sufficient to have him dismissed.
Kamara also frowned at the decision of the ministry to reduce the benefits of scholarship students studying abroad by 75%.
He noted that under Minister Sonii’s watch as Minister of Education, public school administrations have resulted to undeveloped form of education, thereby requesting students to carry arm chairs, test fees, among other fees before their enrollment.
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