Sawyer Addresses LU 96^thCommencement Convocation: Advocates Reform for Graduate Programs

It is no secret that the University of Liberia is in dire need of transformation if it is to compete or be compared to other universities internationally. It can be recalled that in the 1970s and 1980s, students from outside Liberia came to this country to study at the University of Liberia but the civil war years had its toll on this institution, like it did on all other institutions in Liberia. To date, LU, as it is commonly referred to, is in dire need of professors and teaching staff, modern equipment and books, laboratories, and most importantly funding to support the much needed transformation.

The University of Liberia 2015 Graduate Schools Commencement Speaker Dr. Amos Sawyer highlighted a number of issues in his exposé including:

• The role of the University as a knowledge-based community institution; a generator and repository of knowledge through research and teaching needs;
• Democracy and Development
• Decentralization
• Constitution Review
• Human Resource DevelopmentA). The role of the University as a knowledge-based community institution: a generator and repository of knowledge through research and teaching needs.    
• In assuring of renewed vigor and transformation of the University of Liberia as a knowledge-based institution, Dr. Sawyer made the following recommendations.
• Some government ministries including the Ministries of Planning for Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Education were among government entities which generated data and produced studies by Liberian professionals and contributed to LU becoming the knowledge-based community it became during the 1970s/80s. LU at that time also encouraged substantive policy debates among government institutions and the wider society (including self-organized student groups and university professors interested in issues of social justice and African liberation like MOJA, the Federation of Liberian Youth, FLY, and the Liberian National Student Union, LINSU.
• “Substantial research went on in the Colleges of Agriculture and Forestry. Reinforced by CARI, and the research center in Ibadan, there were research on onion and legumes and the adaptability of various crops to conditions in Liberia. By late 1970s a thriving research bulletin was published regularly from the College of Agriculture—research that informed teaching that in turn stimulated more research. In the social sciences, the creation of the social science series (Social Science 102 and Social Science 201 enhanced understandings of the dynamics of Liberian social processes and institutions. My book, the Emergence of Autocracy began from research and teaching notes put together and constantly revised for the Social Science 201 course—Introduction to Liberian Society.”
• Dr. Sawyer noted that in the 1960s, despite limited financial resources, research was expected of the teaching staff and a fair amount of research was done. He recalled several examples including –in the Business School, Dr. Flomo Stevens produced a monograph using Liberian examples for teaching a course in management; Dr. Tipoteh produced an economics monograph contextualized in the Liberian economic situation; Dean Horton created an environment that linked the College of Business and Public Administration to the business community; Professor Tuan Wreh, in the Law School, published two books on Labor Law and Maritime Law respectively; Associate Professor Johnny Lewis published two case law books on Estates and Trust and Criminal Law. A Law Journal was published regularly and Assistant Professor Banks (now Justice Banks)was among its major contributors.
• Dr. Sawyer likened the current conditions at the University of Liberia to those of the 1960s when “Facilities were modest-- even inadequate, budget underfunded and only a few textbooks but there were some great teachers and above all, there was an unyielding commitment to scientific inquiry and the pursuit of excellence” Dr. Sawyer, however pointed out that with national efforts, a change in the style and pace of governance, reorganization of governance structures of the University (as was done in the past) and other prevailing situations can be transformed.(Some 35,000 plus students in 10 or more schools, colleges and special programs, admission and registration, budgets, staff recruitment, and research management might be among the areas needing institutional review in order to enhance efficiencies).
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• The role of the university as a generator and repository of knowledge through research and teaching needs to be more fully recognized, appreciated and supported. “We cannot build human capacity when every time we need to answer a policy question we have to run to Harvard, the World Bank or IMF for experts, using the excuse that we do not have the expertise.”

• There must be policy discussions between those who generate knowledge and those who use knowledge to formulate and implement policy, and these discussions must take place in an orderly, structured and respectful manner;

• Government’s response in policy debates should not be burdened by the erroneous view that government must never be seen to be “bowing to pressure. “Sawyer urged Government to be responsive to citizens’ proposals, and making inclusive, clear and implementable decisions. “We have learned with great pain and loss that failure to respond or delayed response by government can have negative consequences for progress, even for peace.”

 

• Our exchanges must be underpinned by a spirit of patriotism and a determination to strengthen our institutions. The desire for zero-sum solutions does not help build inclusive and resilient decision-making institutions.  Sawyer maintains that both “hardware and software” programs implementation should correspond with each other.“We stand at an important crossroads between policy pronouncements and policy implementation. Implementation of hardware programs without corresponding progress in the implementation of the software results in dangerous imbalances in our development and democratization initiatives. Some fundamentals of the software are lagging behind. For example, our National Vision was meant to guide us as we take control of our future. One of the fundamental challenges it addresses has to do with national identity, responsibility and cohesion. Circumstances of conflict and the need for massive international support have affected our sense of identity and responsibility.”Dr. Sawyer emphasized the need for Liberians (citizens) to take responsibility for our national development, noting that citizenship demands that we also treat each other as co-equals, and with respect. Sawyer described citizenship as a unifying concept that promotes national cohesion, self-reliance, development and participatory system of governance.C). Decentralization   A number of issues are awaiting Constitutional Review and the National referendum expected to be held sometime this year. Some of these issues awaiting Constitutional amendments include the proposed Land Rights Law, the adoption of dual citizenship, the Local Government Act (LGA), tenures of the President and members of the Legislature, among others. Sawyer stressed that Liberia needs a major push to ensure the completion of the Constitution reform, especially in areas that stunt our democratic growth, peace and national development. E). Human Resource Development    
• Dr. Sawyer commended recent past and present LU administrations for their enormous contributions to the university. He made particular references to the administrations of:
• In a related development, Dr. Sawyer has urged government to improve budget funding for education, adding “our commitment and funding of tertiary education specifically needs to be reconsidered for significant improvements”. The University of Liberia’s 2015/2016 fiscal budget stands at 15 million dollars, and it is largely meant for personnel services. Sawyer recommends innovative thinking to increase the university’s endowment, to situate the University as a mainstream provider of professional services.
• “We need to do a bit more to foster the empowerment of Liberians by strengthening their capacities to engage in entrepreneurial activities. It makes no sense that a country that is endowed with 40 percent of West Africa rainforest is exporting round logs and importing furniture when all that is missing is the right entrepreneurial support to Liberians from the government.”
• The Governance Commission headed by Dr. Sawyer, as you may already know, is very much engaged with human resource development as part of Liberia’s transformation process. The Commission, in collaboration with the Civil Service Agency (CSA) and Liberia Institute for Public Administration (LIPA) is highly involved with enhancing civil servants capacity. GC, CSA and LIPA have held numerous trainings geared toward improving job performance in government ministries, agencies and commissions. This is part of efforts geared toward assuring an increase, in Liberian professionals, and that Liberia becomes a middle income country by the year 2030 (in keeping with the National Vision Goal). Sawyer believes that we cannot develop our country if we do not invest significantly in our people’s professional skills.
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• D). Constitution Review
• So far only one County Service Delivery Center has been established in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
• “Liberia cannot afford the cost of not implementing decentralization. It is wrong to consider cost only in financial terms. We must also consider cost as far as it applies to advancing the common good, ensuring peace and stability, and ensuring equity and justice. Implementing decentralization requires the boldness of action today just as the creation of new counties fifty years ago by President Tubman required bold and courageous actions. Critical right now is the completion of the program of deconcentration within the next two years by establishing county service delivery centers under the coordination of the superintendents; completion of the harmonization of internal boundaries; passage of the Local Government Bill and stimulation of local economies. Many of these can be undertaken within current authority of the Executive.”
• Liberians, at the end of the 2012 National Vision Conference held in Gbanga Bong County, agreed that over centralization of authority was against their wishes because it limited their participation in governance and restricted their access to development opportunities. They therefore supported a National Decentralization program that prioritizes empowering local government councils that assure of the peoples’ ownership and participation in governance, as well as having better access to goods and basic social services. However, though government has given some support to the decentralization program, observers believe that government needs to speed up its implementation. Others say the program’s implementation is expensive. Dr. Sawyer has a contrary opinion.
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• Liberia’s current programs for development and democracy are inspired by our National Vision, and integrated within the Agenda for Transformation and the National Roadmap for Healing and Reconciliation. Programs for infrastructure development described as the “hardware” are well underway including the Mount Coffee hydro rehabilitation expected to be completed next year, and several road building projects. However, though some of the ‘software’ of our development agenda including decentralization, accountability and the rationalization of the public sector, among others have made some progress, other significant deliverables remain outstanding.
• B). Democracy and Development
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1. Dr. Al-Hassan Conteh, former President of the University of Liberia, for promoting the development plan of the University with vigor and imagination;
2. Professor Patrick Seyon for pioneering the reopening of the University while the guns were silenced during the civil war.
3. President Professor Emmet A. Dennis for sharpening the vision and bringing new directions and vitality to the University of Liberia. ConclusionDr. Sawyer concluded by urging the graduates to uphold the integrity of their profession; show a deeper appreciation of the context and environment within which they will work; exercise a greater capacity to innovate (in the midst of the challenge of scarcity); maintain a constant quest for self-improvement; practice the humility to be mentored and ultimately the patience to be a good mentor; and exhibit a strong and undying commitment to the University of Liberia from whence their training had come, and to Liberia our dear country that provided the opportunity to achieve this milestone. Dr. Sawyer and four others (former Presidents of LU) received Doctorate Degree in Humanities. They include Dr. Patrick L.N. Seyon, Dr. Ben Roberts, Dr. Fredrick Gbegbe, and Dr. Al-Hassan Conteh.