BREWERVILLE, MONTSERRADO COUNTY – Former Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah has launched a forceful defense of academic excellence, arguing that Liberia risks undermining an entire generation if it lowers educational standards in an effort to increase examination pass rates.
Delivering the keynote address at the graduation ceremony of Mother Tegeste Stewart School in Brewerville, Tweah challenged what he described as a growing culture of accommodation within the education system, saying genuine national progress depends on rewarding merit rather than making examinations easier.
His remarks placed the spotlight on the relationship between the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the University of Liberia entrance examination, raising questions about why many students who pass one struggle to succeed in the other.
According to Tweah, the answer lies not in making university admission easier but in strengthening learning throughout the education system.
“If we lower the standard so that more people can pass WASSCE or UL entrance, we are hurting the future of the country,” he said.
The former minister argued that schools should produce graduates capable of competing academically rather than graduates who advance through lowered expectations.
He warned that an education system that becomes overly accommodating risks producing students who enter adulthood without the knowledge and critical thinking skills required for employment, higher education, and national leadership.
“If you start accommodation in education, you will be accommodated throughout your life,” Tweah said.
His address also explored what he described as a broader cultural challenge confronting Liberia. “The appetite for knowledge is declining in Liberia, while the appetite for prosperity and good life is increasing,” he observed.
Tweah encouraged students to resist the temptation of seeking quick success at the expense of genuine learning, arguing that lasting achievement depends on discipline and informed decision-making.
He reminded graduates that their future would be shaped more by the choices they make after graduation than by their classroom rankings.
“You can graduate at the bottom of this class and you can excel beyond the valedictorian who is standing here in the next 10 years because of the choice you will make today,” he said.
The former minister also called for reforms aimed at protecting academic integrity. He urged parents to avoid pressuring educators for favorable grades while warning teachers and school administrators against manipulating examination results.
According to Tweah, corruption becomes especially dangerous when it affects education because it weakens the foundation upon which future generations are built.
“We talk about corruption in the country, but the worst place to do corruption is with the mind,” he said.
Among his recommendations was the adoption of evaluation methods that reduce opportunities for interference in grading decisions, arguing that transparent assessment systems could strengthen confidence in educational outcomes.
Tweah further called on Government to balance expanded access with sustained investment in quality, including improved teacher training, school infrastructure, and stronger academic standards.
He also proposed establishing a community college in Montserrado County’s District 17, saying communities outside central Monrovia deserve greater access to higher education opportunities.
The graduation ceremony concluded with remarks from Bishop Kortu Brown, who encouraged the graduates to pursue excellence with discipline and faith while contributing to Liberia’s peaceful development.
Brown also appealed for continued reforms that will enable Liberian students to compete successfully with their peers across Africa and the wider world. Approximately 42 graduates completed the WASSCE at Mother Tegeste Stewart School, marking another milestone in their educational journey as the ceremony closed with renewed calls for stronger academic standards nationwide.
