The National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE) has issued a stark warning to 32 higher education institutions across Liberia, including flagship institutions such as the University of Liberia (UL) and Cuttington University.
The Commission has given these institutions a one-year ultimatum to address critical operational deficiencies or face possible closure and/or suspension of their licenses.
According to the NCHE, the decision follows a comprehensive nationwide assessment of higher education institutions. The evaluation was aimed at ensuring compliance with national standards in governance, academic quality, and institutional sustainability.
In a formal statement, the NCHE cited multiple risk factors threatening the viability of the affected institutions, including: Severe financial instability, declining student enrollment, insufficient qualified academic staff, substandard infrastructure, poor institutional governance and administrative inefficiencies.
The Commission noted that these challenges are undermining educational outcomes and eroding public trust in Liberia’s tertiary education system.
The institutional audit, conducted over several months, employed a multi-dimensional approach that including; structured interviews and stakeholder consultations, site inspections of academic and administrative facilities, review and validation of official records, including faculty credentials, governance documentation, and enrollment data.
These methods, the NCHE said, allowed administrators to present operational data and explain institutional challenges and achievements. However, many institutions were found to be operating below the minimum acceptable standards.
If institutions fail to implement remedial actions within the given time frame, the NCHE will move to suspend their licenses and initiate closure procedures, in accordance with national regulatory protocols.
While the NCHE emphasized that the action is not intended to be punitive, it maintained that academic quality assurance and institutional integrity are non-negotiable. The Commission is calling on all stakeholders—including university boards, faculty, and government agencies—to collaborate in addressing the systemic challenges facing Liberia’s higher education sector.
This intervention, the NCHE added, is part of broader efforts to restore public confidence in Liberia’s tertiary education and to ensure that students receive quality education aligned with both national and international standards.
The institutions identified as non-compliant include both public and private universities:
University of Liberia
Cuttington University (CU)
William V.S. Tubman University
African Methodist Episcopal Zion University
African Methodist Episcopal University
African Bible College University
Stella Maris Polytechnic University
Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary
Nimba University
Lofa University
Grand Bassa University
Grand Gedeh University College
Margibi University
Bong County Technical College
Lutheran University of Liberia
Liberia Maritime Training Institute
LICOCESS College of Education
Liberia International Christian College
Sumo Moye Technical College
Notre Dame University College
Bomi Community College
Carver Mission Christian University
Baptist College of Missionary Physicians
Adventist University of West Africa
Apex University of Liberia (formerly Thomas Fallah University)
Liberia Assemblies of God University
Starz University
Trinity University (Undergraduate Division)
Salvation Army Polytechnic
PYJ Polytechnic University College
Smythe University College
J.W. Harris University
