From a Liberian Citizen about St. Regis University and Others.

St. Regis University does not represent the educational system of Liberia. As the matter of fact they are a menace, and are scorned for their abuse of the Liberian name. If you have noticed over the years, pretty much over the past 14 years, the educational system of Liberia was absolutely destroyed. We have experienced the worst time in all of our history as a nation. Although the University of Liberia was operating, it did not do so at full capacity. One can argue that she operated at 40 percent capacity, and at times, closed due to fighting in the city.

The universities parading themselves in the world of online academia claiming credentials from the Republic of Liberia are the result of the past government we had in place. Liberia was hijacked but bandits calling themselves officials and liberators. The cream of the crop within Liberian institutions are either retired, dead, or in exile/been in exile since 1989/1990.

St. Regis University and others claiming Liberian accreditation will be haunted down and from what I'm hearing, legal action will be taken in the very near future if they do not cease and desist from their misrepresentation of the Liberian educational system. Beware that, just as Liberia was used for all sorts of criminal activities during the past 14 years, these activities gained foothold in the accrediting department of the Educational Ministry.

From what I know, it was few individuals within the Charles Taylor government who accepted, processed and approved credentials for St. Regis and her sub Universities with different names, without any policy or criteria pertaining to distance education in Liberia. It is widely believed that St. Regis also awarded some of these same officials with some very interesting degree titles and diplomas. Liberia does not have a distance education policy, did not expect to have any and have never supported any Liberian college offering distance education. Neither has any legitimate Liberian college, University, thought about nor wants to offer distance education. Perhaps in the future.

St. Regis University and others allowed themselves to be taken over by greed. They have not only set themselves up for future litigations but, the scorn of Liberians who do not want their legitimate University and Colleges in Liberia to be viewed with the same lens. Some of us have talked to future candidates and the current University of Liberia president to take seriously the image of the Liberian University system and help push, for reform and also deny any enterprise wanting to use our country as their staging ground for mischief. The new Ministry of education after the general election in 2005 will address these issues, I’m told. The current Chairman of Liberian Interim Government has been briefed and perhaps, he’ll address the issue. However, the Ministry of Education is still ran by some of those stooges from the former Taylor government, as the peace agreement in Accra Ghana, with the rebels, divvied up the government with Taylor’s Minister still at the helm of the educational ministry.

Feel free to comment and perhaps my presence here may help clarify lot of myths about our educational system both in Liberia and parts of Africa.

 

Hi Bob: Thank you so very much for your post.

Back when St Regis became a full-blown topic here, I was at pains to distinguish it from legitimate Liberian schools, as well as to point out the deeply dubious character of the Taylor government and the morally unacceptable character of any of its institutional creatures. I noticed that Taylor's people were still running the education ministry. Hope they're gone soon, as your post indicated they may be.

I hope that one day UL or other legitimate Liberian institutions will offer distance learning. Should that day come, I would be very proud to be a student in such a program.

Welcome to the board. It's good to have you here.

Janko

 

uncle janko, you are welcome and thank you for your consideration and astute observation. I feel welcomed already, thanks again.

Liberia is at a crossroad once again in history. We have never had to deal with bogus institutions using our name with the approval of bandits from the ministry of education. A note of reminder here is, Taylor left town August of 2003 and we as a nation have had to put up with a new group of so-called liberators indulging in the excesses of those they once called criminals. With the presence of the United Nations and through the careful watchful eye of the United States, there is light at the end of the tunnel for general election in October 2005.

The various institutions are beginning to recover from years of destruction of their basic foundation including the University of Liberia. The University just elected a new President and has been receiving assistance from the friends of the university including the U.S. Embassy in Liberia.

Liberians generally do not favor any of their institutions offering distance education especially when the illiteracy rate in the country is very high.
The argument against distance education offerings for students outside of Liberia would be stronger than those in favor for good reasons. No one wants a Taylor style education and accreditation coming out of the Ministry of Education. We will do away with every idea associated with Charles Taylor. What would gain respect and admiration, I am certain of, is a policy and a generally accepted standard set forth by the Ministry of Education in collaboration and consultation with people like Dr. John Bear and others that would not only present a positive outlook on our nation’s desire to promote education and turn over a new leaf, but to also have a standard equivalent to that of South Africa, United States and Australia et al.

The money grabbing attitude could severely damage the image of a legitimate educational system due to the greed of a few. The campaign against schools like St. Regis and others have gained momentum amongst future Liberian leaders. St. Regis students are in for a surprise…


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Thanks Steve.

No we are not a group as in “organization” but a concern few.


A private accreditation organization and seeking international recognition
is a good idea but it would only work, if the number of legitimate institutions offering
distance education from Liberia existed. St. Regis and others did business with a corrupt government. We need more private Institutions in Liberia without government influence to think along this line. I’m looking forward to doing my Masters this fall or spring. Perhaps this could spark an idea in me. I think this is a good idea to think about though. Thanks!


One can never have a viable civil society without some form of Jeffersonian concept. Liberia may get there in the next decade perhaps.

 

Will Iberia clean up its Flag of Convenience (maritime) while they're at it??

 

Liberia, I meant. I don't think Spain or Portugal offers a Flag of Convenience.

 

Steve:
Point well taken. I have not given that a thought, but rest assured I'll discuss that idea with some.

 

nosborne48: Hello!

Liberia is not Spain or Portugal. Flag of convenience is just what it is. The United States Government initiated this idea in World War II and it just got stuck with us. I must admit though, my knowledge and research in this area is very limited. I'm not sure what really the Liberian Maritime Organization need to clenup. Perhaps they need to change that label flag of convenience.

However, here is a news story about their rating.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200408090799.html

 

Interesting article.

Well, it's true; as so-called "open registries" go, Liberia has less to apologize for than some. However, I remain profoundly troubled that a ship can be registered in a country with which its owners have NO other connection except for owning a subsidiary corporation in Monrovia. This is a means of avoiding taxation and regulation by the owners' country while accepting the benefits and protections of citizenship in that country.

The pro-open registry argument is libertarian; the classification societies, and thus the underwriters, will enforce safety standards in order to protect their investors. T'ain't necessarily so, though. Insurance is a NUMBERS game not a zero tolerence game. Labor conditions can become horrible, inspections can be gun decked, ships are lost, oceans are polluted, and seamen die.

This is the genesis of "port state" authority but that authority doesn't extend to ships on the high seas. Trouble is, exploitation and pollution affect port states whether they have any "authority" or not. Then whom do you sue? How do you enforce international regulations?

There is also the separate issue of military necessity but this post is already incoherent.