Monrovia — The strategy implored by the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led-government of President George Manneh Weah to pay the fees of students writing public examinations is reaping political dividends as shown by the influx of first-time voters, and struggling Liberian parents vowing to retain the Liberian leader less than two days to the holding of the much anticipated presidential and legislative elections in Liberia.
Liberians will this Tuesday, October 10 go to the polls to elect their new leaders.
The payment of West African Examination Council (WAEC) and West Africa Secondary Senior Examinations (WASSCE) for all students across the country has been a new policy introduced by the Weah led-administration
The strategy is luring the support of hundreds of first-time voters and their struggling parents, many of who cannot afford to pay their fees.
During the commencement of a pre-victory match to climax the CDC political campaign for the October 10 presidential and legislative elections on Sunday, October 8, slogans in support of the move made by the government dominated the match from the Bushrod Island to Central Monrovia.
"Thank You Weah For Paying our WASSCE fees; We Want WASSCE Fees, We don't want killers; We Want WASSCE, We Don't Want Sleeper; We Want WASSCE Fees, We Don't Want Looters," were the popular slogans from the beneficiaries and their respective parents.
Jeremiah King, 23, observed that many senior students would have been unable to write WASSCE exams if the policy was not introduced by President Weah and his government.
He stated that the move made by the Liberian leader to shoulder the responsibility is in the interest of the student populace, especially those who parents cannot afford in the midst of huge unemployment rate and declining economy.
"President Weah is building roads and he paid our WASSCE fees he is doing a lot of things that the past government did not do. If it was not because of him, plenty people were going to drop from school. In fact, some of them were not even going to graduate from high school."
Also speaking, Tenneh Wilson, 23, observed that students who benefitted from the policy remain grateful to the Liberian leader and would "payback" on October 10.
According to her, the introduction of the policy has immensely helped to reduce the stress self-supported 12th and 9th graders faced in finding money to pay their school fees, and at the same time foot the bills for the public examinations.
"Some of us we are self-supported. We had to look for money to pay school fees and at the same time pay WASSCE fees again. If you have child or children, the case is different. Because of what George Weah did, and no government thought about doing that ever since, we will put him back there."
Roland Muctari, 34, stated: "I feel very proud of supporting President Weah because he paid our WASSCE fees and we graduated from high school today. We can't be ungrateful to him by supporting another person. So, we are here to prove and show our support for him."
"We want him to be there because of the scholarships and for him making us to take our WASSCE free. We want to tell those saying the country is hard that, the country is not hard. Some of our parents have five living children and they can't support them at the same time. They have time to pass the support around to them small, small and that's the reason why President Weah is fixing the counties bit by bit. We have to give him another term to complete what he started," Cynthia Williams, 18, stated.
Hawa Keita, 34, observed that President Weah has maintained the peace and stability of Liberia, despite the noticeable and negative provocations and utterances from some opposition actors in the country.
"The opposition can cuss (President) George Weah ma and pa and he remains peaceful; he can't do anything to them. And so, we want him to be there."
She claimed that extreme suffering and hardship is not unique to Liberia and as such, President Weah should be given another chance to lead the country.
According to her, President Weah is "trying best" to more Liberia forward.
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"President Weah has given us peace even though hearing other people saying different thing. We will put him back there again."
Tete Dixon, 48, noted that the WASSCE fees policy of the government has helped to alleviate some of the constraints struggling parents are faced with in providing support to the education of their children.
She pointed out that some parents are compelled to sell or beg others just to pay the tuition and WASSCE fees of their children attending public and private schools in the country.
"I am supporting the CDC because; George Weah paid my 9th and 12th grades children WASSCE fees. I used to sell and credit money before to pay my children school fees, but the President came and took care of it. And so, I will vote for him. I have five children. Two have already graduated and three are in school."
The first-time voters and their parents are expressing concerns and skepticism that the WASSCE and WAEC fees payment policy introduced by the CDC led-government may not be retained if the opposition wins the presidency on Tuesday, October 10.
