Chinua Achebe cautioned, “A functioning, robust democracy requires a healthy, educated, participatory followership, and an educated, morally grounded leadership.” Achebe’s quote emphasizes the importance of an engaged citizenry and ethical leadership for a thriving democracy. In furtherance of his warning, I address the issues of subsidy and graduation fees in the Liberian education sector.
Subsidy
This morning, I reviewed the appropriations for education institutions included in Liberia’s FY2020 National Budget. Like previous budgets, there seems to be no logical reason why one school is included while another is not. When budget decisions are left purely to the discretion of public servants, this creates room for corruption and favoritism. For instance, why does PYJ University receive $150,000 while United Methodist University gets $50,000? Is the amount allotted based on the number of students enrolled? The number of recent graduates? Are the programs offered at PYJ University more aligned with our national educational priorities than those at United Methodist University?
I recommend that authorities in the education sector develop a formula to ensure subsidies are allocated fairly and equitably. Here are a few examples of potential formulas:
Suppose the GOL has $10 million—$5 million for institutions of higher learning and $5 million for high schools. Let us assume the government decides to distribute this amount in FY 2024. Let us also assume that in the 2023 academic year, University A has one hundred graduates, and University B has two hundred graduates. It would seem logical for University B to receive twice the amount of University A if we divide the subsidy based purely on the number of graduates. The government could also offer subsidies only for programs that meet national priorities (e.g., healthcare, education). In this case, the subsidy could be divided based on the number of graduates enrolled in these specialized programs at each university.
For high schools, subsidies could be divided based on performance on the West Africa Senior High School Certificate Exams (WASSCE). If the Ministry of Education decided to award subsidies to schools that earned a 75% pass rate or above on the WASSCE, using the number of graduates in the most recent year, schools with higher numbers of graduates would receive a larger amount. This would incentivize schools to invest in hiring qualified teachers and providing in-service training, ensuring a continuous flow of revenue. Schools that are failing would be motivated to improve.
Graduation Fees
I urge our education authorities and lawmakers to scrutinize how school proprietors exploit students and parents with excessive “graduation fees.” What these fees cover is anybody’s guess. Yesterday, my niece, who is enrolled at Stella Maris Polytechnic University, shared with me a “clearance” for graduation. The letter states she is required to pay $300 for graduation fees, of which $40 will be refunded if she returns her “academicals” in excellent condition. Assuming she gets the $40 back, what justifies the remaining $260?
Interestingly, my niece is pursuing a bachelor’s degree. Since she has completed half of her coursework, Stella Maris is demanding that she pays the graduation fees to be awarded an associate degree. She is not interested in an associate degree; it is almost worthless in today’s Liberia. This does not stop the institution from demanding the amount. If she completes her bachelor’s degree (she intends to), she will be required to pay another $260 (assuming the fee does not increase, and she returns her “academicals” in pristine condition). Altogether, she expects to pay at least $520 in graduation fees. And this is in a poor country like Liberia! This graduation fee problem, although extreme at Stella Maris, is quite common in Liberia. I have even heard of kindergarten students being required to pay astronomical graduation fees.
Our leaders need to regulate this abuse being inflicted on poor parents and students. Students spend considerable time and resources completing their education. School authorities MUST NOT be allowed to impose barriers after students have finished their coursework. If graduation fees must be charged, they should be minimal and commensurate with the living standards in Liberia, covering only caps and gowns. There is no reason why students below the college level cannot simply wear their uniforms to graduation.
For context, many U.S. colleges, including where I work, charge no graduation fees and allow students to rent gowns from various sources.
By implementing these changes, we can improve transparency, fairness, and affordability in Liberia’s education system, benefiting both institutions and students.
About the Author
Chris Tokpah is the Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness at Delaware County Community College in PA. He holds a Ph.D. in Program Evaluation and Measurement, an MBA (with an emphasis in Management Information Systems), and a B.Sc. in Mathematics. He is an Adjunct Professor of Research Methods and Statistics (Ph.D. program) at Delaware Valley University and an independent consultant. He has participated in or supervised baseline studies and evaluations sponsored by the World Bank, IDA, Geneva Global, USAID, and AfDB. His email address is ctokpah@kent.edu.
