The Government of Liberia is expanding the Presidential Scholarship Program to broaden access to education and create more opportunities for young Liberians across the country.
The expansion was highlighted on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at the Scholarly Arena, held under the theme “Empowering Young Intellect, Driving National Development,” where officials described the scholarship initiative as a strategic investment in Liberia’s human capital and future leadership.
Speaking at the presidential scholarship recipients’ inter-university debates 2026, Bill McGill Jones, Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of State and Chair of the Scholarship Committee said the launched by President Joseph N. Boakai in December 2024, has so far supported more than 490 beneficiaries across 42 universities and colleges in Liberia.
According to him, the initiative goes beyond financial assistance, seeking to develop the knowledge, skills, confidence and leadership capacity of young Liberians who are expected to contribute to national development.
The Deputy Minister disclosed that more than 100 scholarship beneficiaries are expected to graduate this year, describing the milestone as evidence of the program’s growing impact on students who may otherwise face financial barriers to higher education.
Under the expansion plan, he explained that the scholarship program is expected to reach 10 counties with 100 additional scholarships, while widening its scope to include public high school students beginning in the 10th grade, as well as students pursuing technical and vocational education.
Also, McGill said the move is intended to create multiple educational pathways and ensure that financial difficulties do not prevent qualified students from advancing through different levels of education.
The Chair of the scholarship committee said the expansion reflects the government’s broader commitment to youth development and human-capital investment under the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, which places young people at the center of Liberia’s national transformation efforts.
“Beyond just education, it’s about giving opportunity to young people so that they can become the decision makers of this country,” he emphasized.
The initiative, according to him, is being implemented with support from government institutions, educational institutions and private-sector partners, including Orange Liberia, NASCO, the Liberia Maritime Authority, Liberia Petroleum Refining Institution, Liberia Telecommunications Authority and the National Port Authority.
Moreover, he commended participating universities and colleges, scholarship beneficiaries, the steering committee, secretariat, organizers and judges for their contributions to the program.
Addressing the scholars, Deputy Minister McGill urged them to view the Scholarly Arena not merely as a competition, but as an opportunity to sharpen their intellect, exchange ideas, build confidence and demonstrate the leadership qualities expected of Liberia’s next generation.
The latest expansion signals a shift toward a more comprehensive scholarship model aimed at reaching students at different stages of the education system while creating broader opportunities for young Liberians to acquire the skills needed to participate meaningfully in national development.
