Over the past two days, there have been contentious debates surrounding Mr. Weah’s academic accomplishments. Mr. Weah graduated on Friday, with Ms. Degree in Public Administration from DeVry University, in Florida. As the pundits and proponents of Mr. Weah scuffles over this matter, it is practical that one take a critical look at Weah’s questionable educational journey.While it is necessary for Liberians to acclaim “its own” for acquiring higher education, given the fact that more than 80% of the population is illiterate; it behooves us to ask critical questions about how the likes of soccer icon, Weah, sailed effortlessly in his educational endeavors.
The premise of questioning Weah’s academic credentials is uncomplicated. Let’s put party sentiment aside, and examine the facts:
Weah had initially claimed to have a BA degree in Sports Management, from Parkwood University in London. Conversely, this institution is an unaccredited diploma mill which awards certificates without requiring study. When an individual has a history of academic dishonesty, it is justified to question his credentials.
More importantly, Mr. Weah dropped out of grade school at 17, to pursue his soccer career. Three years after, he began his professional career with Yaounde’s Tonnerre, one of the biggest clubs in Cameroon. He later joined Monaco at age 21 and rose to stardom. Mr. Weah retired in August 2003 and started his political career in 2005. At age 41, he enrolled at DeVry University online.
When examining Weah’s journey to prominence, and his decision to seek higher education closely, one would observe that it took 24 years for him to return to school. It is a grave challenge to anyone who is seeking higher education, when such person had been out of school for a long time. Additionally, it becomes more difficult, when such individual attended a substandard high school like Wells Hairston High School.
Given the rapid pace Mr. Weah took to attain his degrees and the length of time he was out of school, a logical mind would deduce that it is probable that certain individual[s] might have done his coursework; as evident in Weah’s habitual struggle to articulate his position on most issues.
Seemingly, Manneh’s academic credentials might be considered a mere political stunt; when one carefully scrutinized the circumstances surrounding his decision to return to school. Education does not guarantee good leadership. Fellow compatriots, be not deceive or spellbind by such individual degrees. Pay keen attention to his lapse in judgment and lack of common sense approach to sociopolitical issues.
By: Hassan Fadiga
Source: http://www.biography.com/people/george-weah-37098?page=1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Weah