OVER HIKE IN TUITION FEES, SENATE CITES EDUCATION MINISTER

Over the hiked in tuition fees at Public and Private institutions of learning, the Plenary of the Liberian Senate has cited the Minister of Education Ansu Sonii to appear and address issues that body as while there is such situation admist the current economic climate of the country.

Prof. Sonii will appear Thursday October 28, 2021 at 11am to furnish the Senate with the required information.

Plenary decision was triggered by concerns raised by Sen Edwin Melvin Snowe of Bomi County and Sen. Abraham Darius Dillon of Montserrado County respectively.

The Senators in separate communications indicated that constituents (Parents and Guardians) of their respective counties have alerted them on the unprecedented hike in tuition and other fees for academic year 2022 at primary and secondary schools.

According to the LIBERIAN SENATE’s Plenary decision, Education Minister Prof Sonii will provide an up to speed measures currently being taken against unprecedented hike in tuitions and other fees.

According to the MOE Curriculum, Academic year 2021/2022 is expected to commenced November 1, 2021.

The just ended academic year was married by skyrocketed tuition fees this created drop-off of many students.

Political Pundits are of the view that the Senate will do little or nothing to impact the prevailing hike in school fees due to its overdue stage in the educational sector.

The current move of schools to hike tuition may pose challenge to some struggling parents in educating their children.

Meanwhile, Sen. Dillion and Send Snowe have frowned on the MOE for not honoring the SENATE’s previous mandate of reinstating forceful retired Teachers.

The Senators urged the Senate again to further take concrete actions to ensure the MOE acts on mandates of the Senate.

Further, the Liberian Senate has also mandated the Secretary of the Senate to communicate with the authorities of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to submit the payroll of the ministries of Education, Health, and Internal Affairs respectively for onward submission to the President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate within a period of one week.

Also following the submission of their respective payroll, Plenary wants the authorities of said ministries, along with the Civil Servant Agency and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to appear before the full Plenary to address issues of retirement and lack of salaries for employees of the ministries of Health, Education and Internal Affairs, especially those in the rural areas.