By By Domingo Dargbeh
Monrovia, Liberia – Dr. John Keykpo, Associate Professor and Director of the Graduate School in Administration and Supervision at the University of Liberia (UL), has raised sharp concerns over what he describes as crippling operational and political challenges facing the institution.
Keykpo argued that genuine progress at UL must start from the foundation, stressing the mismatch between faculty qualifications and student needs. “To build the University of Liberia, we must start from the grassroots. An individual with only a Bachelor’s degree shouldn’t be teaching someone also pursuing a Bachelor’s degree,” he cautioned, emphasizing the need for qualified educators to guide students.
The professor lamented the chronic lack of financial support for his department, revealing that he often funds operations from his own pocket due to zero budgetary allocations. “You can’t build the University when you can’t provide budgetary allotments to the departments,” he said.
Keykpo further alleged that departmental neglect stems from favoritism, not merit. “They refuse to support me because I’m not their friend,” he charged.
He also urged the University administration to free itself from political influence. “The administration of the University of Liberia must be allowed to run the institution without political interference,” he asserted, warning that external pressures are stalling growth and weakening academic standards.
Reflecting on his nine years of leadership at the Graduate School, Keykpo expressed frustration over unfulfilled ambitions. “The dream I brought to the graduate school was derailed for over nine years because I’m not their friend,” he noted.
He pointed to administrative lapses such as the recent transfer of his former special assistant, Madam Roberta Quire, without appointing a replacement—even as classes are set to resume.
As UL grapples with these unresolved issues, Keykpo’s remarks highlight a pressing need for reforms that prioritize students’ learning and faculty development over political gamesmanship.
The future of Liberia’s flagship university, he warned, depends on whether leaders choose progress over politics.
