St. Luke Medical Collede UPDATE FROM LIBERIA.

I HEAR A RUMOR AMONGST FELLOW LIBERIANS AND PLACED A CLL BACK HOME.

A well placed source in the Liberian Ministry of Education told me today that St. Luke School of Medicine will be reinstated. Why? Because they said in 1998 St. Luke was chartered by the Liberian House of Representative and signed by the then Liberian President Charles Taylor. That is the proper procedure by law.

However, the process of accreditation is renewable after couple of years especially part of the distance education component. St. Luke also was connected with the Liberia Medical College call A.M. Doglotia Medical College of the university of Liberia, but apparently did not renew or submit to the process of accreditation this year as stipulated in new guidelines, although the school's papers were valid.

In the wake of the St. Regis scandal, he said "due to calls to the Liberian Embassy in Washington, DC regarding St. Regis, his boss decided it was appropriate to take precaution and state their position." He said "St. Luke was in good standing and she had students on the ground right here in Monrovia taking courses but she had a distance education component for advanced students and this was where the matter was centered." He noted "St. Luke's online advanced student courses were not completely reviewed under our new standards put in place although she was accredited in Liberia for all portion at the time. She was also one of only two distance education accredited schools in the entire country except St. Regis." He also added "One individual in the Ministry of Education told him that St. Luke was specifically included because some St. Regis people compared the measure to revoke their license to operate as cruel when St. Luke is let off the hook. According to him, they had no choice but to let St. Luke fall victim although St. Luke is not found wanting in any acts compared to St. Regis who according to him "is a blatant scam and the classic diploma mill whose actions have scar all Liberian institutions."

When asked what will be the wording in the new release from the Ministry of Education regarding St. Luke? He said "it would be favorable" and that they "found out recently the many Liberian graduates of St. Luke College of Medicine and the others (couple of them) from overseas doing practicum in Liberia at some company (Rubber companies, etc.) hospitals and also with the United nations humanitarian missions clinics etc. We have them all documented and few have been licensed to practice when they completed studies as far back as two years ago."

Therefore he said, "St. Luke will regain her status and the embrace of Liberians since they have taken a look at their Monrovia facility and affiliate hospitals with couple of dispensaries, Labs, and staff."

He also added that "the need for this kind of medical education for the nation coming out of war is immeasurable." He also expressed embarrassment among what he called the "decision makers' " decision to include St. Luke College of Medicine in the same document as that of St. Regis when St. Luke did not misrepresent like St. Regis.

He said he hoped that St. Luke's reputation does not get tarnished over this matter because it was St. Regis who was insincere.


We ended the telephone conversation and promised to talk next week.


I'm watching this move and think it is very interesting. Taylor's people obviously took lots of money and now the new guys want theirs for a new set of validation. I also think the rumor about St. Luke that I heard was true. They are connected with two hospitals ran by private American companies and have a base in Monrovia but obviously focused on the online students in the past excessively. Perhaps this is a lesson learned.