By Stephanie M. Duncan
MONROVIA–Education Minister Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah on Friday challenged 679 graduates of Stella Maris Polytechnic University to convert their degrees into solutions for Liberia’s development challenges, even as the country continues to grapple with a tight job market.
The graduates, 461 females and 218 males, received degrees and certificates during the institution’s 27th Commencement Convocation held in Monrovia.
Serving as Convocation Orator, Dr. Jallah congratulated the Class of 2026 and thanked families, lecturers, and mentors who supported the students through their studies.
She urged the graduates not to see their degrees as mere academic credentials, but as tools to drive change through research, innovation, integrity, and professional excellence.
“Liberia’s development requires graduates who are prepared to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world challenges and contribute positively to their communities and institutions,” Dr. Jallah said.
She also called on the graduates to embrace lifelong learning and remain adaptable in a rapidly changing professional environment.“Titles tell us where you sat. Impact tells us what happened because you were there,” the Minister told the graduants.
The Ministry of Education, in a statement, congratulated the Stella Maris Class of 2026 and urged them to deploy their skills, ideas, and leadership in classrooms, businesses, government institutions, communities, and the broader economy.
The graduation comes at a time when Liberia is producing university graduates in record numbers, but with few jobs to absorb them.
Since the end of the civil war and the return to democratic governance, hundreds of thousands of Liberians have pursued tertiary education. University and college enrollments across the country have surged.
However, the post-graduation excitement is often short-lived. Many new graduates struggle to find employment due to limited opportunities in both the public and private sectors.Liberia’s employment crisis dates back decades.
Successive governments have been criticized for failing to create enough jobs to match the growing number of graduates entering the workforce each year.
Despite those structural challenges, Dr. Jallah maintained that graduates must take ownership of national progress.“Your education must not end on this stage,” she said. “It must begin in the communities, in the hospitals, in the classrooms, in the businesses where Liberia needs you most.”
Stella Maris Polytechnic is one of several higher education institutions in Monrovia that have expanded enrollment in recent years, with a notable number of female graduates.
The 2026 class reflects that trend, with women making up more than two-thirds of the graduates.
As the Class of 2026 enters a competitive job market, the Minister’s message was clear: degrees must be matched with purpose.
The Education Ministry said it will continue to work with institutions and the private sector to align academic programs with national needs and to create more pathways for graduates to contribute meaningfully to the economy.
Friday’s ceremony marks one of the largest graduating classes in Stella Maris Polytechnic’s history.
About The Author
