Salvation Army Polytechnic University Graduates 44

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Since the cessation of Liberia’s civil upheaval that witnessed the laceration of lives and properties mounting to millions of dollars, engendering the decline in the economy, every social fabric and facet including all government functionalities coupled with the degradation of the human resource development, some of the institutions have contributed immensely to the rebuilding process of the nation and exemplarily in this regard is the Salvation Army Polytechnic University (T-SAPU) that graduated over 40 students from the university in various disciplines.

The Polytechnic University of the Salvation Army started as a vocational and technic college in 2004 and official opened in 2008 in order to contribute to post war rebuilding process and later gained the status of a university, the college offers Diploma and Associate of Arts / Science degrees (AA/ASc) in areas of Building Construction, Automotive Engineering, Electronic.  Other areas include Marketing, Procurement and Contract Management, Teacher Education and Theology.  Accordingly, the university continues to offer one-year training courses in Plumbing, Electricity, Electronics, Masonry, Auto Mechanic and Tailoring and the school have unequivocally integrated agriculture programs amongst others.  The Salvation Army Polytechnic University was launched officially on November 22, 2018 with Commissioner Briggitte Birkke-Clinton, International Secretary for Program Resources of the Salvation Army based in the United Kingdom.  The essence of opening the polytechnic is to provide quality education within the Pan African context of higher education by enabling persons to acquire general and professional knowledge and skills within the framework Christian ethics and values.  Consequently, the university envisage in filling the human resources gap in Liberia and the world at large. Speaking during program marking the 4th graduation convocation exercises of the university, President Dr. Jonathan Minagogo Hart, said is it was quite significant to awards degree and diploma to 44 students who have striven tremendously in the last five years in rebranding lives and future to become positive and impactful to the Liberian society.  He informed that the university is committed to its core value of adequate mentorship-styled of teaching which tend to seek and identify gaps, limitations, challenges of student in the reach of the university working towards an improved and identification process of their talents. Dr. Hart who is an Associate professor of Health stressed, the university is devoted to providing a conducive learning environment through programs that enhances quality education and smoothing academic competition amongst students. He said what university will not condone the act of academic malpractice and would put drastic measure into ensure the eradication of such. Dr. Hart said he is of the highest conviction and greatest confident that the students walking out of the walls of the university that the acquired skills and ambition will enrich their various communities and shape a brighter future.  “Our university is a community of extraordinary individuals and groups of diverse cultural, social and religious background all of whom are passionately devoted to the vigor and long –lasting success of the institution. The aspiration and values that bind us together are common to all. We believe in the pursuit of excellence in performance and outcome; the free expansion of ideas and words of choice; the dignity of human race, justice, peace, equity and equality and the rule of law; human rights and freedom of all man; in freedom, the rights and dignity of women, the value of diversity and collective body of citizen; and we believe that each of us has great potentials and can make the difference,” Dr. Hart emphasized. President Hart reminded the graduates to be meticulous in their approach to society as they egress the walls of the university to engage the larger society because the challenges outside the space of the university is enormous. According to him, the challenges are harder outside the environment of the campus as government fray to tackle some of these challenges such as drugs abused and addition, mental health issues, increase in crimes rate and violence against women and children which saddled society greatly. But he said that the graduates can only surmount those mounting hurdles only when they remain focus and exhibit a sense of belonging by sense as ambassador of the Salvation Army polytechnic University by eschewing the habit of bad governance, corruption and demonstrate the fundamental core values upheld by T-SAPU. The University comprises of five colleges namely the College of Business, College of Education, Engineering, Health Science and Agriculture as well as the Technical Vocational Educational Training (T-VET). Interestingly, the College of Business graduated 9 students, while the College of Education 4 student, Engineering College graduated 30 students and 2 students from the vocational program. Both Bachelor of Science Degree and Associate of arts (AA) as well as Associate Degree were conferred of these graduates from the various colleges.  Also making remarks at the convocation, the Director of Education at the Salvation Army Education Secretariat, David Massaquoi stressed the need for investment in quality education indicating that the Salvation Army has over 35 colleges and more than 2500 schools that are supporting the learning of more than half of a million students around the world. Director Massaquoi said that this evince the tremendous contribution the Salvation Army is making in helping to shift the destiny of the country by molding the minds of people through the educational sector that would help make positive and informed decisions. He noted that the first learning institution of the Salvation Army was established in 1992 with focus to be supportive to government effort in the education sector which is the Len Millar high School that have produced several responsible citizens that are now contributing immensely to the development of the country in all sectors. Dr. Massaquoi said after divers’ years of providing quality primary and secondary education, the institution saw the ardent need in 2008 to establish a technical and vocational training program that would serve as a conduit to a full flag university, adding that goal has been achieved! He then extolled the President of the Salvation Army Polytechnic University (T-SAPU) Dr. Jonathan Minagogo Hart for his farsightedness and tremendous work in just a year time for rebranding and creativity that leaps the university. According to him, the university would had taken a snail pace speed to reach where it is now but with the innovation and versatility of Dr. Hart, other colleges have been added especially the college of Health sciences which is the crux of post war Liberia. Serving as a Keynote Speaker through proxy for the Montserrado Senator Saah Joseph at the 4th Graduation Convocation exercises of the polytechnic held recently at the Headquarters of the Salvation Army Secretariat Hall on 17th Street in Sinkor, Festus Logan emphasized that the graduates should build networks and be focus in devising strategic and long term objectives relative to how they can contribute to their personal growth and the country at large. He said T-VET education is very significant now in post- war Liberia now that it is concentrated on rebuilding its infrastructure that got demolished as the result of the civil upheaval and as such the nation will be looking up to them for technical skills in the rebuilding process. He said it is saddened to see many high school graduates who should be nation builder lacking these technical, vocational skills as such many of them sit home hopelessly because they do not have a space in the market place. He further noted the owing to the lack of these skills, many young men have chosen motorbike riding and pen- pen driving as another career path but regrettably, when these objects are stolen or taking away by rogues or its owners; they become frustrated and turn into “Zogos” because of the lack of skills they can rely on as an alternative. As a result, the Senator proxy pinpointed the country currently is craving and in dire need of these acquired skills to Fast-track most of its developmental agendas. According to him, the Senator, understanding the need of technical skills is planning to construct technical universities ‘free of charge’ as a means to strengthen the economic growth of the country through harnessing technical skills of Liberians. The former LRRRC boss stressed that acquiring the diplomas, certificates and degrees is quite unique but what is more paramount is the practical exhibition to the social and economic infrastructure of the country He maintained that for the country to progress and reach its noblest height and to contribute to the socioeconomic development three cardinal things should be taken into consideration. Mr. Logan told the graduates that to become successful, they should be focused as they navigate through the walls of the polytechnic, possess a determined mind to elude distraction, cautioning them that they aren’t the first persons to acquire degrees but there have been people who did but today the degrees have acquire them due to distraction. He also admonished the graduates to set strategic goals as to what they intend to venture into through the creation of networks that will enhance their sailing as well as setting a long term objective that will assist them in comprehending their sole objectives through decorous planning. In inferring, the proxy of Montserrado County Senator Saah Joseph encouraged the graduates to serve as ambassador of the Salvation Army Polytechnic University in their various communities, the streets and the counties from which they hailed from through their performances. “Senator Saah Joseph has asked me to convey to you, that a determined mind can never be distracted. Your leaving these walls with degrees and certificates acquired here today does not determine that you have an automatic job, it is based on your consistency with the determination to push through the walls of obstacles and come out with a clean color”, Logan emphasized. The University is currently offering Bachelor of Science (BSC), Associate of Arts (AA) Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in various disciplines. The graduation ceremony was graced by members of the National legislature as well as dignitaries.

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