Stella Maris Polytechnic
Encyclopedia
Stella Maris Polytechnic (SMP) is a post-secondary, private institution
of higher learning in Monrovia
in the West African nation of Liberia
. Founded in 1988, the school is owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monrovia
. Located on Capitol Hill, the school has approximately 2,000 students. The school is recognized by Liberia's National Commission on Higher Education as an approved baccalaureate granting school of higher learning, and is a member of the Association of African Universities
.
Vocational Institute that had its roots in a donation of land to the church in 1972. Eventually the planned school was renamed as the Arthur Barclay Technical Institute and first held classes in February 1979. Catholic leaders then considered starting a Catholic college beginning in 1985, which eventually led to the establishment of Don Bosco Polytechnic. That school included Arthur Barclay Technical Institute which then became the Arthur Barclay Technical Institute.
The larger institution was chartered by the Liberian Legislature on August 15, 1988. Due to civil strife in the country, Don Bosco did not begin operating until 1993 when the Mother Patern College of Health Sciences opened. Then in January 1997 the school's board resolved to open the larger institution, which occurred in November of that year. Don Bosco Polytechnic was then renamed as Stella Maris Polytechnic in 2005.
In May 2007, Ireland's troops serving as part of the United Nations Mission in Liberia
donated 21 computers as well as a large container of books to the SMP. As of 2009, the school had 2,090 students enrolled. Of those, 1,324 were men and 766 were women. In May 2010, the school's debate team won IBI International's inter-collegiate debate competition for Liberia. SMP beat out a total of six other schools, including African Methodist Episcopal Zion University in the final round. In May 2011, SMP students prevented classes from being held in protest of a proposed tuition hike from USD $5 to $7 per credit, as well as a proposed exit examination that would be required to graduate.
Private college
Private college may refer to:*Private school*Private university...
of higher learning in Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
in the West African nation of Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. Founded in 1988, the school is owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monrovia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monrovia
The Archdiocese of Monrovia is the Roman Catholic Archdiocese in Monrovia, Liberia. It follows the Latin Rite. It was elevated to an archdiocese in December 1981. It was initially established as the Prefecture Apostolic of Liberia in 1903, being separated from the Vicariate Apostolic of Sierra Leone...
. Located on Capitol Hill, the school has approximately 2,000 students. The school is recognized by Liberia's National Commission on Higher Education as an approved baccalaureate granting school of higher learning, and is a member of the Association of African Universities
Association of African Universities
The Association of African Universities was established in 1967 to facilitate co-operation between its members and with the international academic community. It is based in Accra, Ghana...
.
History
The school traces its history back to the Arthur BarclayArthur Barclay
Arthur Barclay was the 15th President of Liberia, serving from 1904 to 1912.-Early life and education:Barclay was born at Bridgetown, Barbados, on July 31, 1854, the tenth of twelve children of Anthony and Sarah Barclay...
Vocational Institute that had its roots in a donation of land to the church in 1972. Eventually the planned school was renamed as the Arthur Barclay Technical Institute and first held classes in February 1979. Catholic leaders then considered starting a Catholic college beginning in 1985, which eventually led to the establishment of Don Bosco Polytechnic. That school included Arthur Barclay Technical Institute which then became the Arthur Barclay Technical Institute.
The larger institution was chartered by the Liberian Legislature on August 15, 1988. Due to civil strife in the country, Don Bosco did not begin operating until 1993 when the Mother Patern College of Health Sciences opened. Then in January 1997 the school's board resolved to open the larger institution, which occurred in November of that year. Don Bosco Polytechnic was then renamed as Stella Maris Polytechnic in 2005.
In May 2007, Ireland's troops serving as part of the United Nations Mission in Liberia
United Nations Mission in Liberia
The United Nations Mission in Liberia is a peace-keeping force established in September 2003 to monitor a ceasefire agreement in Liberia following the resignation of President Charles Taylor and the conclusion of the Second Liberian Civil War....
donated 21 computers as well as a large container of books to the SMP. As of 2009, the school had 2,090 students enrolled. Of those, 1,324 were men and 766 were women. In May 2010, the school's debate team won IBI International's inter-collegiate debate competition for Liberia. SMP beat out a total of six other schools, including African Methodist Episcopal Zion University in the final round. In May 2011, SMP students prevented classes from being held in protest of a proposed tuition hike from USD $5 to $7 per credit, as well as a proposed exit examination that would be required to graduate.