IPNews-Monrovia:  Concern Bridge Teachers Association, are requesting the unconditional resignation and departure of Griffin Asigo, Administrator, Bridge International Academy before they return to the classroom.

The Concern Bridge Teachers in a communication to Education Minister, D. Ansu Sonii, dated June 25, 2020, a copy of which was obtained by IPNews requested the departure of Griffin Asigo to allow sanity in the program or else the teachers begin a systematic revolt seeking to address reforms at the Bridge International Academy.

The Teacher’s communication which was signed by its Secretary General, Peter Cephus Dillon, congratulated Professor Sonii for the level of reform within the Educational sector since his takeover at the Ministry of Education, however warned that if nothing is done in ensuring the unconditional resignation and departure of Asigo from the program there will be unprecedented actions by the teachers.

“We the Concern teachers and administrators from all Bridge run schools nationwide are pleased to acknowledge with thanks and profound appreciation for the immense contributions or efforts made by the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Education and other prominent donors and partners toward the rebuilding and uplifting of the educational system of the country;”

“As we work comparatively in the rebuilding and strengthening of our educational system in post – war Liberia, we as teachers and administrators are duly aware that it requires several measures to address. These issues border on huge pitfalls at Bridge International Academies under the Directorship of Griffin Asigo which we can no longer cope with or have our schools associated with”.

“In keeping with the above, we have unanimously agreed to call the attention of the Ministry of Education, National Teachers Association of Liberia, Committee on Education at the both Houses of the Legislature and other stakeholders including dignitaries, civil society, Ministry of Labor, amongst others that it is about time that the below shortfalls of Bridge International Academics Liberia be critically looked into so as to strengthen our educational system which is yet to be ‘Best’ since their arrival.” The teachers maintained.

As part of the conditions set forth by the Concern Bridge International Teachers, tjey presented eleven counts to the Education Minister, to ensure the BIA administration for prompt action on key issues confronting them.

The 11 counts included: Reduction of workloads or give better incentives; working beyond 3 PM and earning less is horrible for a multi-million company

• Griffin Asigo has dismissed more people than anytime in Bridge history and reduced the morale of the entity locally and internationally and it’s time he leaves so that we have smooth operations in our classroom and program, the news media lately is terrible for the brand only because of the one in charge
• Compulsory lesson completion before we earn our just pay should be done away with as in many occasions Bridge devices fail yet we are not paid as though it’s our fault
• Griffin’s professed ‘Director of Schools’ Corina Totimeh with a nursing degree and no teaching experience is an affront to us qualified teachers and must be told to leave the program; we spent years undergoing teacher training and credential to be supervised by a nurse with no such experience in teaching, education or the classroom
• Stipend should be provided for both payroll administrators & teachers, as it sits stipend is provided for only teachers when many do both administration and teaching
• Increase work force or staff is necessary at this time to get our kids learning more and becoming proficient
• Execute refresher training each school semester; started before but since went into oblivion under Corina
• Method of evaluation should be changed at Bridge completely
• Resettlement/ Relocation must be allocated; Bridge cannot continue to say relocation of teachers is at our own cost, this is totally unacceptable
• Adjustment/Reduction in the learning hours
• Volunteer teachers should be placed on payroll before school resumes and Bridge with the millions made of the circle should make additional payment to teachers in these schools they operate

The demand by the Concern Bridge International Teachers, come two-days before the resumption of normal academic lesson for student of the twelve Grade across Liberia.

Currently the government of Liberia and Health Ministry officials are working around the clock to ensure the straight adherence to various health protocols setup by the Incident Management System-IMS, on COVID-19.

For more on developments over the controversies at Bridge International, log onto www.independentprobe.com