IPNews-Monrovia: George Werner, the man behind rhe Mastermind of granting Bridge International Academy, additional five year accreditation from the government of Liberia, is heavily being bank rolled in a bid to capture the Senatorial seat of Grand Kru County.

Werner who commands alot of respect snd influence at the Ministry is also a key lobbyist and member of the Bridge International Academy Board of Directors who directs key decisions at the Academy’s national office according to sources.

During the week, George Werner delivered in cash Half a Million to cover Teachers’ Tuition in Grand Kru

The boastful Former Minister of Education and Grand Kru County senatorial aspirant, George K. Werner, made good his promise of L$500,000 to cover tuition owed by graduated teachers of LICOSES Teachers Training College.

Chapter 7.2. of the New Election Law of Liberia on remittance of funds from outside Liberia to political parties and Independent Candidates states:

“No person shall contribute funds or other asset to any political party or organization, or Independent candidate from outside Liberia, unless remitted or sent by Liberian citizen residing abroad. Any funds received directly or indirectly in contravention of this restriction, shall be turnover or transferred to the commission within twenty-one (21) days following receipt to keep in escrow in a designated bank, after through investigation has been made, such funds shall be turnover to the political party or independent candidate to whom the money was sent, if not, in contravention of this restriction.”

With this constitution quote, political observers are unsettled with the news of such huge amount being dash out by George Werner, considering his closer ties to the Bridge International Academy.

LICOSES is one of Liberia’s premier tteacher training institutions and is an implementing partner of the Ministry of Education in training teachers across the country per the government’s approved teaching curriculum.

The teachers, recipients of B and C certificates from both public and private schools, graduated from the teaching college at a convocation ceremony held at the Barclayville City Hall, Grand Kru County in February.

According to sources, Werner has promised to pay the remaining arrears of all graduating teachers in the tune of over $500,000 LD.

During the ceremony, former minister Werner decried the performance of students from Grand Kru in public exams and called for more investment to teachers to enable them to be prepared with modern learning tools.

He stated that the continued Employment of prominent individuals from the county to help transport materials and academicals from Monrovia to Grand Kru, but are left in the cold in a apparent lash out at authorities of the Education Ministry.

Recently IPNews carried an article titled: “Werner or Sonii, who runs Education Ministry? As Werner dictates education activities in Liberia”.

The detaiked how George Werner, the man famous for ‘Da Book We will Eat’ during the 2017 campaign era is now into huge controversy over an alleged act of being bankrolled by Bridge International Academies-BIA.

Research has shown that BIA, a non for profit organization brought to Liberia by Werner during the Ellen’s regime to change education from ‘Mess to Best.’ But observers think the system is still messy than it was several years ago yet the Academy continues to make millions in the name of caring for Liberian children.

With the ushering in of the Weah’s government and Werner losing his job as Minister of Education, he now is one of the company’s strategists, helping to have Bridge grounded in Liberia.

Sources tokd IPNews that George Werner participates in hiring, firing, including the formulation of strategies at Bridge as if he is still in charge of the Ministry of Education responsible to oversee activities of educstional institutions such as Bridge.

In a recent write-up promoting the company carried in the Front Page Africa, George Werner speaks clearly an attitude of being paid to write.

In the article,Werner asserts ‘Now with COVID-19, the programme in partnership with the MoE’s Emergency in Education continues to benefit Liberian students in all counties using radio, digital study materials and SMS – all remote parts of the country are still learning. In schools, teams are helping distribute food and teaching about hygiene as well as supporting all remote learning efforts.’

This is totally a deception from a hired pen in George Werner when nothing as such is happening anywhere across the country.

The Ministry of Education is direct during radio shows and teachings and not Bridge International as he tries to appease the government and partners for the program.

The reported lobbyist, George Werner according to online WatchDog, is expected to be heavily funded by Bridge International in the ensuing Senatorial midterm election in Grand Kru County, according to inside sources.

Bridge is a multi-million dollar company, raising millions on behalf of Liberia with limited stock in Liberian banks findings into Bridge activities have shown.

Records in our possession show the company raising over six million in the last school year alone but saves up 0% at any Liberian bank.

Several employees are left with just ten percent of their earnings during this COVID-19, coupled with bad labor practices on the increase, yet the former education minister runs their errands and supports these causes against his fellow Liberians being perpetrated by a Kenyan national Griffin Asigo.

On yesterday, June 27, 2020, group of teachers under the banner ‘Concern Bridge Teachers Association’, requested 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