-Nurturing the call for national reform
BY: Shallon S. Gonlor
NIMBA UNIVERSITY — On Saturday, August 17, 2024 thousands of loved ones filled Sanniquellie City streets and corners for the Nimba University 8th Commencement Convocation held at the University’s auditorium.
The Nimba University’s 8th Commencement Convocation on Saturday included an entire day of celebration as graduates received associate degrees and are now prepared for the next chapter of their lives. The 8th graduating class of the University took on the name “Zlanyaker” a Gio dialect phrase that means, “God has done it”.
Of about 119 graduates who obtained Associate Degrees in various disciplines, 60% of females received degrees in various disciplines from the University founded in 2010. From the College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 18 received degrees, while the College of Business and Public Administration consisted of 10 graduates and the College of Education and Social Sciences, 33 respectively.
6 were conferred degrees from the College of Engineering and Geosciences, and 52 were admitted to the Associate of Science Degree in Laboratory Technology and Nursing from the College of Health Sciences respectively. For the University’s Technical Vocational Training Education (TVET) department, 38 obtained certificates and diplomas to become auto mechanics, electrical, building trade, and plumbing areas.
Orating the 8th commencement convocation of the NimbaUniversity, Deputy Finance and Development Planning Minister of Liberia admonished young Liberians to aspire for greatness and the development of Liberia. Minister Dehpue Y. Zuoencouraged the audience of young Liberians and the University’s graduates to strive, acquire, and apply the necessary knowledge and skills to further achieve their full potential.
The guest of honor and keynote speaker of the 8th graduation ceremony of the Nimba stressed the importance of education in nation-building and implored young Liberians to aspire for excellence to meaningfully contribute to Liberia’s growth and development. He emphasized the need for the output of the graduates to be exceptional when called upon to serve, knowing that professional, qualified competent NU instructors and administrators exhausted all required to prepare them for the degrees they have earned.
Speaking on the theme: “Nurturing the call for national reform” the Deputy Finance Minister emphasized the important need to nurture careers to unlock the strategies for success. Addressing the graduates, Minister Zuo challenged the youngest to go out with that confidence and know that the difficulties and extreme situations they would go through would be a success story each. “The future belongs to the curious. The ones who are not afraid to try it, explore it, poke at it, question it, and turn it inside out,” he added.
He further noted that as an individual who is deeply invested in shaping the next generation of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), he firmly believes that fostering an impactful mindset should be a cornerstone of Liberia’s Sustainable Development Goals. He added that educational reform is not merely a pursuit, but a way of thinking, a mindset that empowers individuals to identify opportunities, take calculated risks, and drive innovation.
He further cautioned each member of the 2024 graduating class to take with him or her what was imparted by the University. He also admonished the graduates to continue learning, most especially by seeking higher education for greatness. The Liberia Deputy Finance and Development Planning Minister for Economics addressed the graduates with a call for action in their graduation careers. Expressing joy that the graduates could muster the courage to take the first step of acquiring college education but impressed on them to explore more frontiers towards self-actualization and nation building. He further reminded the graduates to adopt a very positive attitude and ensure an exceptional output wherever they may be assigned.
ABOUT THE CONVOCATION SPEAKER:
Minister Dehpue Y. Zuo, before his appointment to the position of Deputy Minister for Economic Management of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning directed the National Telecommunication Information and Administration (NTIA) at the Tohono O’odham Community College in Arizona, USA.
Minister Dehpue Co-founded and served as Executive Director of the Partnership for Sustainable Development in Liberia (PSDL), a non-governmental institution focused on macroeconomic policy, development policy and planning, and the domestication and implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) intervention in Liberia.
He served as Deputy Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration, and Assistant Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Affairs, respectively at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia. He also worked as a Macroeconomist or policy Analyst with the Liberia Macroeconomic Policy Analysis Capacity Building Project (LIMPAC), Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs, and served on the Board of Trustees of two colleges in the Republic of Liberia; the Liberia International Christian College-LICC, and the Nimba University College.
Minister Zuo is a development practitioner, with interests in economic and social development policy research and analysis. He has worked on several economic development policy documents in Liberia. The Nimba University orator holds a Master of Science degree in Applied Economics in 2022, and Economic Development 2007 from Southern New Hampshire University, New Hampshire, United States of America.
In 2005, he also obtained a Master of Arts degree in Community Development from North Park University, Illinois, USA. He acquired a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics in 2001 at the University of Liberia respectively.
NIMBA SUPERINTENDENT REMARKS
For her part, Nimba County Superintendent, Kou Meapeh Gonoexpressed joy, congratulating women for building the resilience and courage to acquire higher education. Supt. Gono also encouraged other young women to continue to strive for excellence in their endeavors, noting that for too long women have been silent and dropped out of formal education and national decision-making.
She noted her impression, admonishing young women to explore more towards self-actualization and nation-building. The Chairperson of the Superintendent Council of Liberia on behalf of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai pledged commitment to support the University’s financial growth and development.
Noting that education is one of the key pillars of President Boakai’s “A. R. R. E. S. T” agenda.
According to her, when girls and women are educated, boosts nation-building, faster poverty reduction, better maternal health, lower child mortality prevention, and reduced violence. She further noted that discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, early marriage, and disabilities has disrupted female education over the years.
But, on 23 January 2023, the UN Human Rights revealed that 130 million girls are denied the human right to education around the world. “The world is failing 130 million girls denied the human right to education – a fundamental, transformative, and empowering right for every human being,” UN experts say.
The 24 Nimba Superintendent making remarks at the 8th graduation ceremony of the Nimba University on Saturday, August 17 made commitments to support girls’ and women’s right to acquire education. “Denying girls and other vulnerable groups their fundamental right to education is discrimination at its most debilitating.
Today, our thoughts are with the women and girls out of school in particular, who have no access to secondary schools, universities, and other centers of learning, and repeat our support to urgently end these illegal restrictions. This amounts to abuse that does not only harm women and girls but seriously damages the country and its future. We will do everything in our power it takes to have these reversed” Supt. Kou Meapeh Gonostated.
NIMBA UNIVERSITY’S PRESIDENT
The University’s president, Jesse Noah Mongrue conferred and congratulated the 119 graduates who officially completed academic degrees from five colleges and areas of study that are offered on the campus.
“Congratulations, graduates. I am so very proud of your accomplishments,” said Dr. Mongrue. “Now, you will embark on new adventures in your lives, equipped with a NimbaUniversity education and supported not only by your families, faculty, and staff but by your friends, fellow students you have met along the way who will join you as fellow alumni. Stay in touch with this network. Share your successes and challenges. Care for them and allow them to care for you.”
“We are proud of your accomplishments as your academic journey called for your resolve and determination to make it here”. Mongrue said. Welcoming graduates, families, friends, stakeholders, and partners to the milestone occasion. He applauded the hard work and determination of the graduates and detailed the numerous developments occurring at the university.
Highlighting the infrastructure developments on campus and instructor capacity building. “We are grateful to God for the successes we have recorded since our preferment to this position as president of the University, most notably, staff capacity building developments. We have managed to offer scholarships and financial aid to the majority of our instructors outside of the country to pursue their master’s degrees. We are pleased to also inform you about our ongoing Science and Technology Engineering program building on campus. We are grateful to the board of directors as this allows us to make higher education more accessible.”
NIMBA UNIVERSITY BRIEF HISTORY
The Nimba University, formally Nimba County Community College-NCCC was established by an Act of the National Legislature of Liberia on September 27, 2021, and September 16, 2010, respectively. As a university, it shares with its sister colleges and universities the responsibility of providing technical training in applied science, and liberal and practical education, in preparing Liberian and foreign nationals in various fields of professional disciplines.
Additionally, the University seeks to provide quality education to all of its students, irrespective of gender, creed, race, religion, or nationality. During its formative stage, the College formally commenced academic activities on September 19, 2011, with a total enrollment of 438 students. After one year of its inception, the student population grew from 438 to 794 in 2012. Since then, the College has continued to experience steady growth in its student population.
During academic 2015/2016, the college received full accreditation for its Nursing and Laboratory Technology programs, thus putting them on par with other nationally accredited professional institutions in Liberia. This accreditation was valid for three years, ending in 2019. The second full accreditation took place in March 2020 and was valid for three years. While the third accreditation took place in June 2024 with NU scoring 88% thus gaining the mandate to offer a BSN degree in nursing beginning next semester in September 2024.
Since the university commenced academic activities on September 19, 2011, it had seventh (7th) graduation exercises, 2015-2023. A total of nine hundred and fourteen (914) students, comprising six hundred and twenty-four (624) males, and two hundred and ninety (290) females graduated during the seven years. For the 8th commencement convocation, a total of one hundred and nineteen (119) graduated from various qualified disciplines, forty-eight (48) females and seventy-one (71) males respectively.
