The acting Country Director of Bridge International Academies, Mr. Stefan Oosthuizen has reassured Liberia of his organization continual provision of quality education across the country.
Bridge believes every child has the right to high-quality education. Ensure leaning how teachers connect, communicate, engage, motivate, and inspire pupils. The organization believes that strong teachers change lives. So, they are empowering a new community of trained, prepared and supported teachers.
As part of its supervision to schools operated in Liberia, officials of bridge usually take their routine inspections to see the development at various campuses.
Speaking Wednesday September 23, 2020 at the Gbah Foboi Public School in Grand Cape Mount County, the Acting Country Director of Bridge International Academies, Stefan Oosthuizen said his institution collaborated with the Ministry of Education and have continue to do same in the improvement of students, good learning environment, and professional teachers through the use of technology.
Bridge is currently operating 171 schools across 11 counties in Liberia. The organization is also working with over 1000 teachers with over 37,000 students’ enrolled in the program for students from beginners to 6th grade.
Mr. Oosthuizen said they have been successful since their arrival in the country almost four years ago through the use of technology in learning with the help of their professional curriculum development and academic professionals.
“Bridge is proud to be in Liberia and we will continue to provide that quality education in Liberia. We have been successful because we use technology in our learning,” Oosthuizen said.
For his part, the Coordinator for the Liberia Education Advancement Program (LEAP), Abraham Dagher said he forms part of the routine inspection on Wednesday September 23, 2020 to see how the partnership schools are doing in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic that everything came to a standstill in Liberia.
Dagher said the partnership with Bridge is seriously meeting its objectives of revamping the education sector of the country. He recounted that the program was launched in 2016 with 92 schools with eight partners, but due to the success, the number has increased to 323 schools and over 90,000 students across the country.
“There have been great improvements since the launch of the program. It was challenging from the beginning, but it is meeting its objective of improving the education of our students, environment and teachers as well. The government provided the schools, teachers among others. There are clear signs that the program is improving our children,” Mr. Dagher said.
He added “Bridge is one of six providers in the program. But Bridge is the biggest with 171 schools.”
At the same time, the Deputy Education Minister for Instruction, Alexander Duopu said when it comes to the partnership schools, there are lots of public sentiments, but those partners are meeting the objectives of the program despite the numerous challenges facing them.
Minister Duopu said those partners are working with the government to buttress its efforts in the education sector of the country.
During the visit at the Gbah Foboi Public School in Grand Cape Mount County, Minister Duopu toured the various classrooms to see whether the partner was in adherence to the health measures put in place for the reopening of schools.
“I watched their learning, this is what we want. I saw the students and teachers with masks, hand washing buckets, and social distancing as well. The teaching is good. But they need security and janitors and we [government] need to play our part as well,” Minister Duopu said.
He further added “It was not easy from the beginning. They are helping us and we are to work together. The partners are doing very well.”
