By Kebba AF Touray
The Minister of Higher Education, Dr. Pierre Gomez, has disclosed before Members of the National Assembly, current efforts in resource mobilization to review core subjects of the school curriculum.
Dr. Gomez, who appeared before lawmakers at the recently concluded adjournment debate of the National Assembly, made this revelation while responding to issues raised by Members regarding his Ministry.
Some of the comments made by Members include a request for the construction of a senior secondary school in Kerr Amadou; a review of the school curriculum and the need to equip School laboratories with equipment.
On the review of the school curriculum and equipping School labs, Dr. Gomez said core subjects of the school curriculum such as English and Maths, Science and Social Studies from Grades 1-9, have been reviewed, and they are mobilizing the necessary resources to complete the remaining subjects. He told Members of the Assembly that Kerr Amadou village has a Basic Cycle School that covers education from the level of Early Childhood Development (ECD) to Grade 9, noting that the school is situated about 45 kilometers off the main North Bank Highway, making it hard to reach.
“In essence, the information that we have from the technicians is that the School has 84 pupils at ECD level; 420 students in Grades 1 to 6 and 124 students admitted in Grades 7 and 9,” he reported. He said all the students attending the School come from the community of Kerr Amadou, except for a few nearby communities like Toro Alasan, which is about 2 kilometers from Kerr Amadou.
Presently, Professor Gomez said 34 students commute from Kerr Amadou to Kuntaya Senior Secondary School, adding that based on the data provided, it is not feasible to have a Senior Secondary School in Kerr Amadou. However, he said plans are underway to have a Basic Cycle School in Ceesay Madiaw, which is about nine Kilometers from the main highway.
“For the laboratories, 13 Schools are currently under renovation and will also have their laboratories furnished with the state of the earth equipment. We are also mobilizing resources to equip more Schools as soon as possible,” he said. He disclosed that the Schools currently under renovation are Gambia Senior Secondary; Banjuliding Upper Basic and Senior Secondary; Yonna Basic Cycle; Albreda Upper Basic and Senior Secondary; Farafenni Senior Secondary; Essau Senior Secondary; Kaur Senior Secondary; Kwinella Upper Basic and Senior Secondary; Jah Kunda Basic Cycle; Pasamass Basic Cycle; FodayKunda Upper Basic and Senior Secondary; and Fatoto and Bansang Senior Secondary Schools respectively.
On the policy to acquire quality basic education for all, Professor Gomez said that is paramount adding that his Ministry will conduct regular School mapping to guide the opening of Schools and based on these guidelines, new Upper Basic Schools such as the one in SinhuPalen, was opened.
