By Augustine Octavius
The new President George Weah’s decision to let George Werner hold on as Education Minister has been resisted by the National Teachers Association of Liberia (NTAL).
The 51-year-old Liberian leader was inaugurated last Monday and the first action he took hours later was to announced the the retaining Werner and four other top officials in the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s government.
NTAL has expressed disappointment that the controversial Education Minister Warner has been retained by President Weah, who has come to power on the mantra, “change for hope”.
The National Secretary General of the association, Samuel Johnson, disclosed that teachers will embark upon a go-slow action, if the appointment is not reversed.
In an interview on Thursday, Johnson pointed out that Minister Warner has brought the education system in Liberia to public ridicule.
He added that Mr. Warner has cost the dismissal of several teachers just for speaking on issues that are affecting the workers and educational system.
Johnson claimed the Education Minister has also unilaterally imposed the Private-Public Partnership agreement between the ministry and the Bridge International using Liberia as a test case.
The NTAL Secretary General said Liberian students and teachers “are not guinea pigs” to be used as study case.
The Teachers then appealed to the President to re-in state teachers who were dismissed by the Unity Party-led government, because of advocating for their fellow workers.
But there has so far been no reaction from Minister Werner.