MONROVIA – Frustration over decaying facilities at the University of Liberia has sharpened into a formal demand for reform. The Student Unification Party is pressing for comprehensive renovation of the institution’s aging campuses. Its complaint ties the physical condition of classrooms and laboratories directly to the quality of education students receive. The intervention lands as the government promises accelerated rehabilitation backed by millions of dollars in public funds. Yet students say visible progress has lagged far behind the scale of the problem. The dispute exposes a wider tension between the university’s proud historic prestige and its present neglect. As THE ANALYST’S Lincoln Hne Dalieh reports, pundits are wondering if pledged funds would finally translate into functioning campuses—a test to the government’s stated commitment.
The Student Unification Party (SUP) has called for urgent and comprehensive renovation of the University of Liberia (UL). The party said the condition of learning facilities across the institution’s campuses had reached a critical point.
The concerns were raised at the university’s Capitol Hill campus during an engagement between student leaders and UL President Dr. Layli Maparyan. SUP Chairman Odecious Mulbah used the meeting to detail what he described as serious infrastructure problems.
According to Mulbah, some university buildings are in deplorable condition, while inadequate restrooms and insufficient laboratories burden students. He said science students in particular struggle without functional facilities.
Mulbah stressed that students want to return to class but also want an environment comparable to universities elsewhere. He said the physical state of the campus was closely tied to the quality of education students receive.
“We want to go to school, but we also want quality facilities like other universities around the world,” Mulbah said. He argued that poor sanitation and deteriorating structures make the university experience harder for students and faculty alike.
A Historic Institution
The concerns arrive at a sensitive moment for an institution woven into Liberia’s national history. The university traces its roots to Liberia College, whose cornerstone was laid in 1858 and which opened to its first seven students in 1863.
Former President Joseph Jenkins Roberts served as the college’s first president. In 1951, Liberia College merged with the William V. S. Tubman Teachers’ College to form the University of Liberia.
The institution has since grown into one of Liberia’s major public universities, serving students nationwide. It now operates campuses at Capitol Hill, Fendall, Medical School Fendall and Sinje in Grand Cape Mount County.
Renovation Across All Campuses
Mulbah said students were encouraged by government plans to renovate the university but worried the visible work fell short. He cited the repair of the College of Business and Administration roof as progress while insisting other buildings still need attention.
For SUP, renovation should not be limited to selected structures but should cover classrooms, laboratories, restrooms and water systems across every campus. Mulbah also urged authorities to involve engineering students in the work so their skills could support the effort.
He stressed that the party’s stance was not an attack on the administration or any individual. “The Student Unification Party is not against anyone,” he said, adding that the group only sought the well-being of the first state-run university’s campuses.
Mulbah said students would more readily support reopening if they could see genuine, comprehensive progress. UL President Maparyan acknowledged the concerns and agreed that the complaints about facilities were legitimate.
Boakai Orders Faster Work
The concerns coincide with a government-backed renovation program for the university. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has ordered the immediate acceleration of works following a high-level meeting at the Executive Mansion on August 4, 2026.
The government has reportedly appropriated and processed about US$6.3 million (L$1,148,868,000) for infrastructure rehabilitation at the university. Boakai, however, expressed concern over limited physical progress and cited procurement delays as a major obstacle.
Renovation attention is being directed toward the Fendall, Capitol Hill and Sinje campuses. Plans include a new 25-classroom building at Fendall along with urgent repairs to roofing, sanitation, water supply and sewage systems.
The President’s directive also seeks stronger coordination among the institutions responsible for the work. A joint technical team and coordination committee, co-chaired by the Ministry of Public Works and the university administration, is expected to oversee the process.
The Ministry of Public Works is tasked with validating project designs and timelines. The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning is expected to clear procurement bottlenecks that have slowed implementation.
The administration and Board of Trustees have been directed to maintain transparent communication with faculty and students about reopening and renovation. Officials framed the effort within the government’s ARREST Agenda for inclusive development.
Taken together, the statements from SUP, the university and the President point to a shared reality. The University of Liberia needs visible, coordinated and sustained investment rather than promises to match its historic role.