The Deputy General Secretary of the Gambia Teachers Union (GTU) Essa Sowe said their union deeply disturbed with the seemingly inaction on the side of the Government of the Gambia for failing to show any sign of seriousness to provide funding for education.
“We are also aware of the series of interventions in terms of subsidies and stimulus packages by Government which are good initiatives, however what is disturbing is the fact that education has never been part of government’s priority during COVID-19”, He stated.
In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, Sowe said most schools are running out of business and could not afford to pay the wages of their teachers especially the private schools who worked for months without salary. Given that over 50% of schools in the Gambia are from the private owned including the Madrassas (Arabic Schools) and apparently running out of resources. He revealed that 38% of teachers in the Gambia are from the private sector, which is roughly about 1,800 teachers.
“We have also seen that most of these private schools are renting in private premises and because their agreements have retired or their rents are due; they have been threatened eviction”, He revealed.
As he delivers his remarks ahead of the commemoration of World Teacher’s Day, the Deputy General Secretary of GTU further expressed the plights and also urges government to create an education subsidy to enable the private schools pay off their debts most of whom have been seriously affected by the pandemic.
Sowe stressed that a potential academic crisis is looming at a distance and if government fails to show commitment to the education sector, it may cause a havoc in the education system of the country.
Sowe however highlighted some the activities they have done to tackle the crisis faced by the education sector due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. He said the union conducted series of community radio sensitization programs to urge their members, students and parents to adhere to the WHO precautionary Guidelines.
“We also conducted a survey to assess the level of preparedness of the Upper basic School ahead of the Grade 9 WAEC examinations”, he said.
Risk Communication Fora was organized by the union in region 4 which is the Lower River Region and Region 5 which is the Central River Region he explained. The union he stated, also assisted the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) in developing the catch-Up plan, Reviewing the stimulation Model and the Safe School Protocols.
“Now that all the necessary tools are available in terms of strategies and plans, what we need is Government’s commitment in ensuring that schools are safely opened”, Sowe said.
The Gambia Teachers Union General Secretary Marie Antionette Corr said World Teacher’s Day has become the occasion to mark progress and reflect on ways to confront the seemingly unending challenges for the promotion of the teaching profession.
The day she added, provides the occasion to celebrate the teaching profession worldwide, take stock of the achievements, draw attention to the voices of teachers who are at the heart of efforts to attain the global education target of leaving no one behind.
“the day reminds us of our heavy responsibilities as well as the challenges they face everyday particularly during these difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic”, she stated.
As the entire world is in distress as a result of the COVID-19 threats, Corr said the education sector remains one of the worst hit by the outbreak as the reality of the situation is challenging to bear. This she said resulted to the widespread closure of schools which created serious disruptions on academic activities, as well as in career plans.
World Teachers Day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the 1996 UNISCO recommendations concerning the status of teachers. It sets forth the rights and responsibilities of teachers, and standards for their initial preparation, ongoing professional development, recruitment, employment, teaching and learning conditions.
By Adam Drammeh
“We are also aware of the series of interventions in terms of subsidies and stimulus packages by Government which are good initiatives, however what is disturbing is the fact that education has never been part of government’s priority during COVID-19”, He stated.
In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, Sowe said most schools are running out of business and could not afford to pay the wages of their teachers especially the private schools who worked for months without salary. Given that over 50% of schools in the Gambia are from the private owned including the Madrassas (Arabic Schools) and apparently running out of resources. He revealed that 38% of teachers in the Gambia are from the private sector, which is roughly about 1,800 teachers.
“We have also seen that most of these private schools are renting in private premises and because their agreements have retired or their rents are due; they have been threatened eviction”, He revealed.
As he delivers his remarks ahead of the commemoration of World Teacher’s Day, the Deputy General Secretary of GTU further expressed the plights and also urges government to create an education subsidy to enable the private schools pay off their debts most of whom have been seriously affected by the pandemic.
Sowe stressed that a potential academic crisis is looming at a distance and if government fails to show commitment to the education sector, it may cause a havoc in the education system of the country.
Sowe however highlighted some the activities they have done to tackle the crisis faced by the education sector due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. He said the union conducted series of community radio sensitization programs to urge their members, students and parents to adhere to the WHO precautionary Guidelines.
“We also conducted a survey to assess the level of preparedness of the Upper basic School ahead of the Grade 9 WAEC examinations”, he said.
Risk Communication Fora was organized by the union in region 4 which is the Lower River Region and Region 5 which is the Central River Region he explained. The union he stated, also assisted the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) in developing the catch-Up plan, Reviewing the stimulation Model and the Safe School Protocols.
“Now that all the necessary tools are available in terms of strategies and plans, what we need is Government’s commitment in ensuring that schools are safely opened”, Sowe said.
The Gambia Teachers Union General Secretary Marie Antionette Corr said World Teacher’s Day has become the occasion to mark progress and reflect on ways to confront the seemingly unending challenges for the promotion of the teaching profession.
The day she added, provides the occasion to celebrate the teaching profession worldwide, take stock of the achievements, draw attention to the voices of teachers who are at the heart of efforts to attain the global education target of leaving no one behind.
“the day reminds us of our heavy responsibilities as well as the challenges they face everyday particularly during these difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic”, she stated.
As the entire world is in distress as a result of the COVID-19 threats, Corr said the education sector remains one of the worst hit by the outbreak as the reality of the situation is challenging to bear. This she said resulted to the widespread closure of schools which created serious disruptions on academic activities, as well as in career plans.
World Teachers Day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the 1996 UNISCO recommendations concerning the status of teachers. It sets forth the rights and responsibilities of teachers, and standards for their initial preparation, ongoing professional development, recruitment, employment, teaching and learning conditions.
By Adam Drammeh