By : P Uriah Suah suahuriah86@gmail.com
Ganta, Nimba County – The King’s Institute Mission School System, a daycare, elementary, junior, and senior high school located in the Valley Community of Ganta City, Nimba County, has come under heavy criticism for failing to register its students for the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) despite collecting examination fees from 6th, 9th, and 12th graders.According to frustrated 12th-grade students, the institution collected L$7,000 from each of them, L$5,000 from 6th graders, and L$9,000 from 9th graders, yet failed to process their WASSCE registration.
The students revealed that the school initially demanded L$12,000 per senior student for the exam but later reduced it after students pleaded and negotiated.
They further lamented that even if they had been registered, many lacked confidence in passing the exam due to inadequate preparation.
They claimed that teachers had been largely absent from classes since the first semester of the current academic year, causing some students to drop out of school altogether.Surprised Tuah, the student council president, and Janet Johnson, a 12th grader, both confirmed the situation.
They stated that the principal had attributed the lack of instruction to insufficient funds to pay teachers.Additionally, students disclosed that they had not even taken the mock exam, which is typically used to prepare candidates for the WASSCE.
The principal reportedly promised that the mock test would be administered after the official WASSCE—an approach students found troubling.
Another issue fueling dissatisfaction is the US$160 graduation fee the school has requested from graduating students—an amount far above the US$100 cap for private and faith-based schools, and significantly beyond the US100 set by the Ministry of Education for graduation candidates.
Parents have also raised concerns, saying the principal often boasts of his connections with the District Education Officer (DEO) and claims that complaints against the school will not yield any consequences.Students are now demanding a full refund of their exam fees since they will not be sitting for the WASSCE.
When contacted, Principal Thompson Yormie Jr., who is also the son of the school’s proprietor, declined to speak with reporters and reportedly left the campus as efforts were being made to address the complaints raised by students and parents.Meanwhile, sources confirm that the DEO office has summoned the school administration, concerned parents, and affected students to a meeting scheduled for Monday to resolve the matter.
The WASSCE officially began on May 15, 2025, and is being administered to schools across Liberia.King’s Institute Mission School System is situated on the outskirts of Ganta and is owned by Rev. Thompson Q. Yormie, the acting chairperson of the Ganta Christian Community (GCC).Details will emerge as it unfolds.
