By Momodou Jarju
Gambia College Students and their union leaders have been expressing concerns about lack of lecturers at Gambia College.
In fact, the Education Minister of the Gambia College Student’s Union (GCSU), Bakary Badjie said in an exclusive interview on Tuesday that if the admin cannot provide solutions by 15th February, the main union and the general students of the college would solve the problem.
“Let them regulate this issue because this is a burning issue and then students have paid their money to come and learn in the college. If they are deprived of that education it can be very serious,” he said.
A cross section of students have been complaining since school resumed about a month ago of lack of sufficient lecturers at the college resulting to missing lessons on some subjects.
The administration says they are working on the matter, citing that some lecturers had left the teaching field and ventured into other professions as a contributing factor.
Principal Lecturer and Head of the School of Education, Casim Touray, could not give comments when he was approached yesterday due to his busy engagement. He said till another time.
A student who pleads anonimity said one of their lecturers from the SES department told them that their department is doing everything possible to get lecturers to come and teach even if it going to be part time.
Badjie said the class secretaries have confronted the main union on several accessions to lodge the constraints they are grappling with, of which lack of sufficient teachers is the prime concern as at now.
The unionist said the matter is affecting the main union and students at large, adding that he has consulted the administration and they have responded in the positive as they have advertised vacant positions for lecturers to apply.
“The date of application was last Friday so they are still expecting more lecturers to come in the future. But then after the interview (with the applicants) they can tell us the number of lecturers that they were able to grab. But as at now, they are doing all that they could to put things in place,” he said.
Yesterday, Wednesday, Mr. Badjie said the class reps and himself met with Casim Touray to discuss about the matter, saying it was a fruitful meeting and they are hopeful that things would be settle soon.
