Pandemonium erupted at the graduation ceremony of the Monrovia Vocational Training Center (MVTC) when students spontaneously disrupted the event, accusing the administration of mismanagement. A day that was expected to be one of joy and jubilation turned sour on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, after the graduates marched in and the official opening of the program got underway.
Our reporter, who had gone to cover the event, was greeted with disturbances by the graduates. The aggrieved students accused the school’s administrators of mismanagement, lack of transparency, and failure to adequately organize the program. Due to the chaotic scene, the ceremony at the MVTC campus in Paynesville was brought to a standstill as the graduates became uncontrollable.
“What we saw and promised by the administration was not what we received. The administration lied to us,” the angry graduates explained. Another student said, “If we do not receive our packages that we paid for, the next school year will not resume.” Some graduates walked out of the program in protest.
“This day should have been about us and our achievement, but the administration has failed us,” one aggrieved graduate told reporters. “We are leaving here without certificates and tools to work in the future, and there is no real hope because of the system’s neglect,” another graduate roared.
The disruption left many parents and invitees disappointed as efforts by security guards and faculty members to restore order were unsuccessful. MVTC officials have yet to officially respond to the allegations, but sources say an emergency meeting was convened to address the dissatisfaction.
The unprecedented protest has sparked public debate on the state of vocational education in Liberia, raising questions about accountability and the future of thousands of young people who depend on technical and vocational institutions for empowerment. Over 1,293 Liberians were expected to have graduated from the Monrovia Vocational Training Center with certificates in various disciplines.
