Monrovia — The University of Liberia (UL) has dispelled rumors regarding the potential end of its tuition-free policy, clarifying that there are currently no plans to discontinue this initiative.
The reassurance follows reports from students facing difficulties while registering for courses for the upcoming academic semester, which sparked worries over a possible change in the institution's tuition structure.
On Monday, many students reported encountering messages in their registration portals requiring full payment of tuition and registration fees before they could proceed with course planning.
Screenshots circulated among students displayed alarming notifications stating, "All undergraduate students are to make 100% fee payment of the total itemized bill or total bill to be paid before being allowed to plan a section for courses selected."
This unexpected requirement triggered panic among the student body, particularly in light of the financial challenges currently affecting the country.
The tuition-free policy was introduced during the administration of former President George Manneh Weah and has remained unchanged since then.
Recent speculation arose suggesting that the interim administration might consider revising this policy as President Joseph Nyuma Boakai prepares to take office.
However, UL officials promptly affirmed that no decisions have been made regarding the suspension of the tuition-free initiative.
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Thomas G. Karyah, Director of UL Relations, urged students to proceed with their course planning and reassured them of the ongoing tuition-free status.
"The decision to reverse the tuition-free policy is administrative, and the UL administration is not contemplating such a move," Karyah stated, emphasizing that the current president is in an interim role and lacks the authority to implement such significant changes.
Mr. Karyah attributed the portal issues to a technical error with their service provider, reassuring students that efforts are being made to rectify the situation.
"If there is any decision made in the future, we will inform the public. But as of now, no such decision has been taken," he confirmed.
Also, Cllr. Norris Tweah, Vice President for UL Relations, echoed Karyah's statements, clarifying that the system's default message was due to a service provider error.
"Students should disregard any erroneous messages on their portals and proceed with generating their bills," he advised.
The University of Liberia administration continues to encourage students to remain calm, reiterating that the tuition-free policy is still in effect.
