By: Kebba AF Touray
The National Assembly has on Tuesday 23rd March 2021, adopted the report of the Legislative Committee on Education.
The report and the bill seek to ensure the delivery of quality education services in the tertiary institutions in the country and ensure the institutions are on sound footing.
The reports contain the views of the relevant stakeholders in the educational arena, following their engagements with the Committee on the bill entitled National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority dubbed NAQAA Bill 2020.The bill was tabled before the assembly by minister of higher education, Badara Joof in June 2020.
Thereafter, the bill was referred to the Assembly Business Committee (ABC) for committal to the relevant committee for scrutiny and consideration. The Committee will then report its findings to the plenary for subsequent adoption.
Laying the Committee’s report before the assembly, Alagie Mbowe, Member for Upper Saloum and Vice Chairperson of the Committee, said all the prospective private higher institutions shall pay to the Authority, through a special account at the Central Bank of the Gambia, a refundable fee of the equivalent in Gambian Dalasi of US$300,000.
He said, among others, that all the prospective private non-degree awarding tertiary institutions offering programs up to Higher National Diploma Level shall pay to the Authority, through a special account at the Central Bank, a refundable fee of equivalent of Gambian Dalasi of DUS$5000.
He added that all the prospective tertiary vocational skill centers, offering certificate level only, shall pay to the Authority through a special account at the Central Bank, a refundable fee of in Gambian Dalasi, the equivalent of US$50,000 for non-Gambians and US$5000 for institutions fully owned by Gambians.
