By Socrates Smythe Saywon
NIMBA COUNTY, LIBERIA – The Concerned Students of PYJ Polytechnic University have announced plans to stage a peaceful protest in Ganta on Friday, August 22, demanding the immediate reopening of their institution, which has remained closed for more than seven months following the passing of its founder, the late Senator Prince Yormie Johnson.
According to a press release issued on Thursday, August 21, 2025, and signed by Roland B. Yormie, spokesperson of the Concerned Students, the protest will begin at LPMC and proceed to the university campus in LPRC, where a petition will be presented to the Popariratres, the Nimba Legislative Caucus, the Vice President of Liberia, the Superintendent of Nimba County, the Board of Trustees, and the university administration.
“For more than seven months, PYJ Polytechnic University has remained closed following the passing of the late Senator Prince Yormie Johnson. This closure has left students stranded, uncertain about their academic future, and deprived of the opportunity to pursue their education in a timely manner. As students, we believe this is not only unacceptable but also an injustice to the legacy of the man who founded this institution,” the release stated.
The students described the university as a “beacon of hope” for thousands across Nimba and Liberia, stressing that its prolonged closure dishonors the legacy of Senator Johnson and undermines the dreams of young people eager to pursue higher education. The statement added: “The truth must be told: the real legacy of the late Senator Prince Y. Johnson is not only in the politics he engaged in but in the educational opportunity he left behind through PYJ Polytechnic University. To allow it to remain closed without a clear timeline for reopening dishonors that legacy and undermines the dreams of countless young people.”
The Concerned Students condemned what they termed the inaction of the Board of Trustees and the Popariratres, accusing them of failing to ensure the smooth operation of the university since the senator’s death. They also appealed to the national government and education stakeholders to intervene, noting that many students cannot afford to attend universities outside Ganta due to high costs of rent, transportation, and tuition.
The statement clarified that the planned demonstration is not intended to create chaos but to demand accountability and action. “We are not protesting to create chaos or division. We are protesting because we believe in the power of education. We are protesting because we cannot sit idly while our future slips away. We are protesting because PYJ Polytechnic University must reopen for the sake of students, parents, and the entire county,” the release emphasized.
The students assured that the protest would remain peaceful and disciplined, urging participants to avoid confrontation. Their petition, to be delivered during the march, will outline demands for the immediate reopening of the university and call for measures to prevent future disruptions.
“There will be a peaceful protest tomorrow in Ganta by students of PYJ University demanding the government and whoever re-open the university to continue their studies, according to information since the death of the Senator school is yet to open,” the release concluded.
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