Monrovia, Liberia — The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) Executive Director Anderson Miamen is urging the government to confront what it describes as the longstanding structural problems at the University of Liberia rather than repeatedly responding to student and faculty unrest with short-term measures.
Miamen made the call Friday, August 21, 2026, arguing that recurring disputes at the country’s only public university are symptoms of deeper institutional failures that cannot be permanently resolved without sustained government intervention.
He said successive administrations have failed to adequately finance and modernize the University, leaving the institution struggling with inadequate infrastructure, overcrowded and poorly equipped classrooms, limited internet access and other deficiencies that affect the quality of education.
According to him, chronic underfunding by the national government remains one of the central factors contributing to the university’s recurring crises, despite other governance and corruption concerns reported at the institution.
He questioned how the University of Liberia can be expected to serve thousands of students and produce graduates capable of meeting the demands of Liberia’s labor market while operating under persistent financial and infrastructural constraints.
Miamen argued that government’s response to the university has not matched the scale of the problem, saying budgetary increases over the years have failed to keep pace with population growth and the institution’s expanding needs.
He also criticized what he described as a disparity in government spending priorities.
Miamen pointed to government spending on presidential residences and projects, lawmakers’ vehicles and activities, and expensive vehicles and other benefits for senior public officials as examples of areas where resources can be mobilized when political leaders consider an issue a priority.
He questioned why similar urgency is not demonstrated when financing the University of Liberia and other essential public institutions.
The CENTAL executive director further argued that service-delivery agencies frequently face funding shortfalls at the end of budget cycles while highly placed political offices often receive their full allocations.
He described the situation at the University as unacceptable and called for a deliberate shift in national priorities.
Miamen acknowledged that additional funding alone may not solve every problem confronting the university. He said improved financing must be accompanied by other reforms aimed at strengthening institutional management, accountability, infrastructure, academic quality and the overall learning environment.
He also cautioned against violence and disruptive actions during disputes at the institution but said persistent grievances among students and faculty should be understood within the context of years of unresolved institutional challenges.
According to Miamen, repeated temporary interventions risk creating a cycle in which government responds only after tensions escalate instead of addressing the underlying causes.
He urged the government to consider the University of Liberia a national priority, particularly as the Liberia Revenue Authority has reported increased revenue collections.
Miamen said additional public resources should be strategically directed toward institutions such as UL that have a direct impact on education, workforce development and Liberia’s long-term economic prospects.
He maintained that without a sustained commitment to reform and adequate financing, the university’s problems will continue to return despite repeated attempts to calm individual crises.
Miamen called on the government to move beyond what he described as reactive responses and develop a comprehensive, long-term strategy to restore the University of Liberia as a modern, technology-driven and high-quality public institution.
