UL breaks grounds for new medical school
Ahead of its upcoming 98th graduation and convocation exercises, the Visitor to the University of Liberia (UL) President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf breaks grounds here for the construction of a 96-bedroom dormitory facility for the A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine on the Fendall Campus of the UL. Speaking on Monday, 27 November at the ceremony, President Sirleaf reiterates her government’s commitment to creating an educated Liberian population.
She emphasizes that due to the importance government attaches to quality education, it directed its Chinese grant to the construction of the UL’s Fendall Campus in 2006.
Giving an over view of the project, Liberia’s Health Minister Dr. Bernice Dahn, recounts numerous efforts by the Liberian government to secure funding for the new home of the Medical School.
She says the initiative is aimed at improving the living and learning conditions of Medical students at the A. M. Dogliotti College of Medicine. The Health Minister discloses that government has established a partnership with the University of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to improve pre-clinical sciences and faculty in-learning platform to connect the medical school’s students with the world.
Dr. Dahn explains in the face of limited space and poor condition of the existing Medical School, the government was able to secure thru the World Bank, a US$2.3M grant to construct the facility.
Also speaking at the program, the President of the University of Liberia Dr. Ophelia I. Weeks, expresses happiness for the construction of the dormitories.
She looks forward that a health science college would be built on the Fendell Campus of the university in the nearest future.
Dr. Weeks lauds the government for helping the university to get its Fendell land, and reveals plans to build a university city, which according to her, will provide jobs for citizens in Fendell and surrounding areas.
World Bank Country Manager, Madam Larisa Leshchenko, explains that the project will cover construction of two new 48-bed dormitories and two classrooms aimed at strengthening learning environment of the Medical school.In a related development, the University of Liberia Tuesday, November 28, 2017 inducted 63 new scholars for academic excellence.
Speaking during the occasion, Dr. Weeks encourages the young scholars to always plan and remain disciplined if they are to maintain academic excellence.
“Planning and discipline will help you follow schedules and deadlines for registration. If you know that you want to be in school next semester, you have to plan ahead”, she urges.
She also admonishes other students of the University to cut down some of their activities to plan properly by saving money, noting that this will get them ready for the following semester. The honors program was the first under the regime of Dr. Weeks. The Dean of Liberia College, Mr. Sekou Konneh, urges students to put God first in all that they do.
He calls on the students to take risk and positive adventures in their journey to life. “You must have dreams with goals and apply discipline. You must be consistent. Study with plans, organize your time and yourselves, because planning is critical in anyone’s life,” he asserts.
The Liberal Arts Dean encourages the students to make use of every opportunity that comes their way. Meanwhile, the 98th commencement convocation of the UL began yesterday, November 30, 2017 at the Fendall Campus with an art and craft exhibition that runs up to December 15, 2017.
