Published: October 11, 2024
GRAND KRU — Authorities at Grand Kru Technical College are calling for assistance from local and international partners, including USAID, UNDP, UNSCO, the Chinese Embassy in Liberia, and the Liberian government, to help fund the construction of a new campus in Grand Kru County. Professor T. Dan Jah Bestman, Vice President for Administration at the college, highlighted the urgent need for approximately $12 million USD to build the facility, which would include administration offices and staff lodging.
During a press conference in Monrovia on Thursday, Professor Bestman explained that the college is temporarily operating out of the Barclayville Central High, the local Ministry of Education office, and the Ministry of Agriculture Sub-Office in the county. This arrangement poses significant challenges for administration, faculty, and students. “It is very challenging and inconvenient,” he stated.
The college, which owns 50 acres of land in Grand Kru County, requires an initial $400,000 USD to jumpstart the construction process. Professor Bestman also noted the lack of mobility to transport materials, resulting in equipment being stored at the college’s Monrovia office.
He expressed gratitude towards the County Legislative Caucus and Acting President Josephus M. Gray of Grand Kru Technical College for their support in advancing the college’s development. He emphasized the significance of the new campus, explaining that the college’s opening has already been a major boost for local students who previously had to travel to Maryland or Montserrado counties for higher education.
“The opening of the Grand Kru Technical College (GKTC) is a big boost for students in that part of the country,” Professor Bestman said, noting that the college’s enrollment for the first semester of the 2024/2025 academic year reached about 300 students, surpassing the initial enrollment of Tubman University in Maryland County in 2009.
Previously known as the Grand Kru Vocational & Technical Training Institute (GKVTTI), the institution was rechristened as Grand Kru Technical College (GKTC) in March 2019 after a new act was approved, elevating it to college status with a dedicated budget line in the National Budget. GKTC now offers associate degrees in Engineering, Agriculture, Technology, Education, and Business, with plans to expand into Natural Sciences, Health Sciences, Mass Communication, IT, and other fields.
Professor Bestman praised the Liberian government’s efforts in decentralizing development, which he believes will help deter young people from engaging in activities that could jeopardize their futures.
Discussion about this post