Reforming Liberia’s Higher Education Regulation through Depoliticization: Assessing NCHE’s Quality Assurance Performance

This study assesses the function of Liberia’s National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE) in overseeing and maintaining the quality of the country’s tertiary education system. Central to this analysis is the impact of political interference on the commission’s ability to regulate independently and make objective quality assurance (QA) decisions. By employing a strong qualitative and exploratory emphasis, the research relies mainly on document analysis and draws from theoretical frameworks such as principal-agent theory, policy implementation, public governance, and bureaucratic autonomy. The investigation seeks to understand how political dynamics influence the NCHE’s regulatory autonomy, evaluate how effectively its QA mechanisms uphold academic standards across both public and private institutions, and identify measures to reduce political interference that could improve regulatory performance. Findings indicate that while the NCHE has the technical capacity to detect and sanction breaches of quality standards—as reflected in actions taken against non-compliant institutions—its enforcement is irregular. Political pressures, especially in matters concerning public and private universities and core regulatory standards, significantly constrain the commission’s independence and result in uneven application of QA policies. One prominent example is the suspension of the requirement that university leaders hold terminal degrees, demonstrating how political considerations can override professional and academic criteria. This undermines the commission’s credibility and erodes public confidence in the regulatory system. The study concludes that meaningful reform of Liberia’s higher education regulation demands deliberate efforts to depoliticize the NCHE. Strengthening its legal and operational independence through fixed-term appointments, merit-based leadership selection, transparent enforcement protocols, and enhanced monitoring will be crucial. It was therefore recommended that the Liberian National legislature should revise the NCHE Act to ensure NCHE’s independence from political influence; and that the National government should invest in continuous professional development for NCHE staff in areas such as accreditation, evaluation, data analysis, and international quality assurance standards