For Liberian students who were in danger of missing the regionally administered West African Senior Secondary Certification Examinations (WASSCE) due to years of indebtedness to the West African Examination Council (WAEC) Liberia office no longer have to worry. This is because the Liberian government has settled those owed arrears, President Joseph Boakai announced on Wednesday.
THe President disclosed that US$3.5 million had been allocated in the 2024 budget to cover the cost of the exams.
Senior students and those in the 9th grade ran the risk of missing the exams this year because his government inherited a debt of around US$6 million in unpaid fees from previous administrations.
Boakai announced while delivering his 100-day reports, he said: "We have made strides in meeting our targets in education during our first 100 days."
Achievements named by the President in the educational sector were the payment of scholarship arrears for Local and foreign students and investment in Youth capacity building in ICT for the first six months.
"These arrears include underwriting expenditures such as monthly allowances, resettlement assistance, air ticket costs, French language training programs, and other administrative and operational costs associated with students' well-being."
The announcement made by the President confirmed the statement by Dale Gbatoe, head of the West African Examination Council (WACE) in Liberia, that students risk missing the 2024 exam if the country fails to pay its debts.
In an interview with OK FM in February 2024, Gbotoe said: "If Liberia does not meet her obligations, it is possible that the candidates for Liberia will not be able to take the test in 2024, Dale Gbotoe, the WAEC Liberia Executive Director, said in an OK FM interview. WASSCE is administered by the WAEC.
According to him, Liberia owes US$5.5 million as a contribution to WAEC, and if the country does not settle the payment, candidates might be allowed to sit the exam. All countries that are members of WAEC are obligated to make contributions to the councils annually as determined by the body.
"The fees that the government owes in 2023 were US$604,000, but they paid US$600,000, remaining US$4,000," Gbotoe added.
"We are hopeful that the new administration will make her contribution."
For the last six years under former president George Weah, WASSCE fees were paid by the government on behalf of 12th graders as a way of easing the economic constraints faced by parents.
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The WAEC boss clarified that it is not the WASSCE but Liberia's contributions to the WAEC. Each country is obliged to contribute to the council, which the government failed under past administrations. "Liberia, being a member of WAEC, is under obligation to contribute towards WAEC headquarters," Gbotoe added.
In response, Gbotoe said, "Oh yes, it is true that the government of Liberia owes WAEC headquarters an amount of US$5.5 million."
According to him, the previous government still needs to comply with the council, causing Liberia to fall back on payment.
"What happened [is that] the previous government has not been consistent with the government's obligation with WAEC headquarters, so this amount has accumulated over time."
According to him, over the last ten years, the government of Liberia has only paid the fees for the exam but refused to pay its contribution. "We have paid just three times. When the George Weah administration took over, they took over US$2 million, but because he was not paying, it came to US$5.5 million. President Boakai is now taking over and inheriting a debt of US$5.5 million."
President Boakai who took office on January 22, 2024, promised that "no car will get stuck in the mud in his first 100 days." He also promised to reduce the price of imported rice, and reduce the hardship confronting the populace.
"If the price of rice is high, it will be reduced. I have also said that in my first one hundred days, no car will get stuck in the mud on major roads."
