Students call for GBU President’s dismissal
By Emmanuel wise Jipoh
Protesting students at the newly elevated Grand Bassa University (GBU) in Grand Bassa Count are calling for the dismissal of the university’s President Dr. Samuel K. Monwell.
The students claimed the University President has refused to personally sit with them to resolve issues besetting the institution.
The aggrieved students in their protest on Monday, July 18, 2022, accused Dr. Monwell of engaging in “tactics” and “gaslighting” to sweep their concerns over unlivable conditions on campus.
They cited 15 counts for the removal of Dr. Monwell, including closure of the university’s College of Health Sciences.
In a communication to Dr. Samuel Monwell dated June 6, 2022, the Liberian Board for Nursing and Midwifery said for an institution to be accredited and recognized by the Board to operate nursing and midwifery school in the country, it must meet 80 percent of the required standards.
But the Board noted in its communication that the Grand Bassa University (GBU) Nursing Program has met only 69 percent of the standards and 543 verification criteria, thus denying it accreditation.
The communication detailed that schools denied accreditation are not allowed to conduct recruitment & indexing of new students, and graduates coming out during a denied period are not eligible to sit the National State Board Exam.
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It continued those institutions in such category are not to operate Nursing/or Midwifery educational and clinical activities (capping, oath & honor, graduation).
Reading the 15 counts resolution, the head of the protest, Student Tyrom Gofa Doepoe said, since President George Weah pronounced free tuition for all public schools, colleges and universities, Dr. Monwell has allegedly been collecting fees from them.
He also claims that Dr. Samuel Monwell singlehandedly withdrew US$30,000.00 from the university’s account under pretext of purchasing a new bus, but surprisingly, Student Doepoe notes, he bought a death trap (second-handed bus) that ran for six (6) days and is currently grounded.
The students announced 72 hours for Dr. Monwell to resign or else, they would resort to unspecified actions.
However, addressing reporters after Monday’s protest by the aggrieved students, Dr. Monwell categorically said the tone of the protest’s rhetoric bothers him.
“I do want to encourage all of us, as a community, to be thoughtful about that, because that self-hate does bother me in terms of how we go at each other”, GBU President expressed.
According to him, the university has addressed several complaints and other cardinal issues but didn’t comment on the alleged withdrawal of US$30,000.00 from the university’s account to purchase a bus for the students.
Dr. Momwell only referred the media to take a glance at a bus under repair that belongs to the university. Editing by Jonathan Browne
