Action Aid Seminar on Children’s Rights at School underway

By Sailu Bah A five day seminar on Promoting Children’s Rights at School, organised by Action Aid International The Gambia (AAITG), is underway at the organisation’s head office in Kanifing. The seminar which commenced yesterday, 23 March 2015, is aimed atbuilding the capacity of stakeholders in promoting the rights of children in school. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Madam Kadjatou Jallow, AAITG Education Adviser, underscored the importance of the seminar in helping to generate ideas on how to improve the rights of students in school as well as improve the education system. She said during the course of the sessions, participants will be taken to schools in order for them to collect relevant information on the issues relating to the welfare of children and their education and to determine whether there is need for improvement. She also highlighted some of the issues that pose as challenges to the education of young people such as the findings on the abuse of the internet by students, the issue of teachers dating students, schools being used as dumpsites, etc. “It is very important to be going on the ground to see what is happening in order to be able to come up with tangible solutions to those problems as partners,” said the AAITG Education Adviser. Madam Jallow also called on the Local Government Authorities (LGAs) to get engaged and help in addressing some of these challenges. She listed the 10 rights of children in schools as the ‘Right to Free and Compulsory Education’, ‘Right to Non Discrimination’, ‘Right to Adequate infrastructure’, ‘Right to quality trained teachers’, ‘Right to a safe and non-violent environment’, ‘Right to relevant education’, ‘Right to know their rights’, ‘Right to participate’, ‘Right to transparent and accountable schools’ and ‘Right to quality learning’. Mr. Bakary Fadera said the low literacy rate among women and children need to be improved as well as the quality of teachers to enhance quality delivery services to students. For his part, Mr. Musa Jobarteh said every child has the right to education which is clearly stipulated in the Gambian Constitution. He said it is the responsibility of the state to provide each and every child access to education without any discrimination. The participants include those from organisations representing children’s rights, youth, local authorities, members of the security forces, among others.]]>