By: Esau J. Farr
MONROVIA-The House of Representatives (HOR) has passed a bill calling for the establishment of the Gbarpolu County Community College.
The decision to grant the Gbarpolu’s County Community College, through legislation was taken Tuesday, February 28, 2023 by the Plenary of the House of Representatives.
It followed a report from the House’s Committee on Education to the Plenary of the 54th Legislature craving the indulgence of members of that august body to see reason and grant status to the establishment of the Gbarpolu County Community College (GCCC).
Following the reading of the committee’s report to the plenary by the Secretariat of the of Representatives, members of that august body unanimously voted for the passage of the legislative instrument in the interest of the growing number of students who graduate from high school every academic year.
Members of that Lower House argued that it was unfair for citizens of that western county of Liberia not to have access to higher education.
Some argued that it was a violation of the rights of citizens and residents of the county not to have higher institutions of learning as it has been done in other counties.
This, they said causes some of the youths of the county to be deprived of higher education because most of them do not have the opportunity to travel or live in neighboring counties or move to Monrovia in search of higher education.
The bill has now been sent to the Liberian Senate for concurrence and possible passage.
Shortly after the passage of the bill by the House of Representatives, the chief proponent of the bill, Gbarpolu County Representative, Alfred Koiwood, expressed joy over the passage of the legislative instrument.
The Gbarpolu County lawmaker told assigned Legislative reporters that he was happy that his dream of helping to grant status for the establishment of a community college for Gbarpolu was realized.
He meanwhile used the opportunity and called on members of the Liberian Senate to do due diligence to the instrument by concurring with the House of Representatives for the passage of the bill seeking to grant Gbarpolu County a Community College status.
More than ten (10) years ago, former Liberian President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, under the doctrine of checks and balances as well as the issue of three but coordinated branches of the Liberian government, the immediate past former President of Liberia managed and passed the Community Colleges Bill thus giving opportunities to citizens in rural Liberia to have access to higher education