Published: December 4, 2024
Kakata – The administration of the Booker Washington Institute (BWI) last week instituted a compulsory eight-day break for students, citing financial challenges stemming from unpaid tuition fees and delays in government allotments. Despite giving students weeks to meet financial requirements for the 2024/2025 academic year, the administration says the situation has not improved.
Sources who spoke to The Liberian Investigator disclosed that the break was partly due to the school’s inability to provide meals for dormitory students, as cash flow from tuition fees and government support remains insufficient. Investigations suggest that more than half of the over 1,000 students enrolled in BWI’s regular program have yet to complete their registration due to the high cost of tuition. This prompted the administration to send students home, hoping to pressure parents and sponsors to settle outstanding fees.
Escalating Costs and Declining Enrollment
BWI’s tuition fees, which ranged from US$123 to US$244 for day students and US$380 to US$612 for boarding students until 2020, were dramatically increased under the administration of former Principal Harris Tarnue. Current rates stand at US$245 for day students and US$600 for boarding students. This sharp increase contradicts the institution’s founding mission in 1929 to provide affordable technical education for middle-level technicians.
Before the increase, tuition fees in 2011 were significantly lower—L$11,000 for day students and L$35,000 for boarding students. The higher costs have made BWI accessible only to financially well-off families, excluding many ordinary Liberians who can no longer afford to enroll their children.
The increment, initially introduced to fill a 30% funding gap in the 2020 budget, has persisted despite the worsening economic crisis in Liberia. As a result, BWI has seen a sharp decline in enrollment, with many parents and self-sponsored students unable to meet the financial demands.
Administration Defends the Break
Take a listen to the Acting Vice Principal for Administration, Thomas Fahuwu, as he defends the administration’s decision to send the students home
Acting Vice Principal for Administration, Thomas Fahuwu, defended the decision to send students on break, describing it as a necessary step to address the financial challenges. Fahuwu noted that many students had not completed their registration and were given the opportunity to engage their parents and sponsors to meet their financial obligations.
“If their registrations are not completed and we close, there will obviously be a problem when tests are administered, as students would be excluded from classes. To avoid this issue, we decided to let them go to their parents and sponsors to secure their registration fees before the mid-term exams,” Fahuwu explained.
Fahuwu emphasized that the administration is being flexible with students, given the current economic difficulties affecting parents and sponsors. “We understand the economic challenges, and we are trying to work with the students and their families to ensure everyone has the opportunity to continue their education,” he added.
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