By: Jeremiah B. Gayflor, II
Ganta, Nimba County ~ Students of the closed Prince Yormie Johnson (PYJ) Polytechnic University in Ganta, Nimba County, are demanding immediate release of their academic and transfer documents to allow them to continue their education elsewhere. The call comes amid growing frustration over the prolonged closure of the institution and reports that the university has been sold to a private individual.
According to several aggrieved students, the school ~ once a beacon of higher learning in northeastern Liberia ~ has been non-operational for nearly three academic semesters. The situation has left hundreds of students stranded, unable to transfer to other institutions due to a lack of official documentation.
“We just want our transfer documents. We cannot sit and waste our futures while those in charge remain silent,” said one student “Many of us were in our final years. We deserve the right to continue our studies.”
The uncertainty surrounding the university’s fate intensified following the death of its founder and vision bearer, the late Senator Prince Yormie Johnson, in November 2024. Since then, there has been little to no official communication from the administration regarding the school’s future.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that the university property has been sold to a private individual, whose intentions reportedly do not align with educational development. This has sparked concerns among students and residents of Ganta, many of whom regarded the university as part of the late senator’s enduring legacy.
Critics have accused Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung and Nimba County Senator Samuel G. Kogar of turning a blind eye to the issue, with some suggesting that their inaction is contributing to what they describe as the “rapid decline” of Prince Johnson’s legacy. Once hailed as a “Godfather” figure in Nimba County, Johnson’s influence appears to be fading in the wake of the university’s collapse.
The Ministry of Education and the National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE) have yet to issue an official statement on the matter. Meanwhile, students are appealing for government intervention to resolve the crisis and secure their academic records.
As the days turn into months, the fate of PYJ Polytechnic University ~ and the futures of its stranded students ~ hangs in the balance.
