In a bid to create a platform for young and vibrant teachers within The Gambia to involve in leadership and good governance, the Gambia Teachers Union Young Teachers Platform last Thursday 5th August, 2021 for the first elected its executive Committee.
The theme for the General Assembly Meeting was “Enhancing Youth Participation for Leadership and Good Governance”.
The election of these Committee members was held during the Gambia Teachers Union General Assembly Meeting attended by different representatives from all the regions in The Gambia.
Delivering her welcoming remarks, Marie Antoinette Corr Jack General Secretary GTU, recognized the importance of these young people whom she described as a driven force towards enlightening young teachers to positive thinking, leadership and good governance.
She called the young teachers to continue joining forces to achieve their objectives. “Your presence here today is a powerful reflection of our collective desire to see a positive change, through an effective and progressive response to our collective action to advance the involvement of young teachers in Union leadership”, SG Jack noted.
Madam Jack reminded the delegates that, they are entrusted by their people to participate in the proceedings of the general assembly meeting with an act of diligence and conscientious mind to move the union forward. She stressed that the General Assembly will continue its collective endeavors to address the daunting challenges that young teachers face in the Union.
“We are convinced that the standards of debate will be high and will enrich every delegate on a professional and personal level”, She said.
Speaking on the importance of creating the young teachers Platform, Ismaila Ceesay President of the Gambia Teachers Union said the creation of the Platform is in recognition of the need to include young teachers in the affairs of the GTU. Young teachers he said, are the core of the teaching field and therefore need to be enlighten on the much needed details to fully understand how to fulfill their desire chosen field.
Therefore he continued, it is prudent to create rooms within ranks and files of the union for greater inclusion and participation of young teachers.
He recognized the creation of this platform saying, “The emergence of the Young Teachers Platform is apt taking into consideration that more than 60% of the teaching population of the country is under the youth bracket”, Ceesay said.
He advised the delegates to fully take their time and carefully read through all the documents shared for scrutiny and gives their inputs as feedbacks on the Bye laws and the GTU youth Policy will be presented them for scrutiny as well as discuss with their colleagues on all matters discussed. He further encouraged the delegates to think outside the box and be ambassadors who are privileged to attend the event.
Speaking on the theme, Louise Moses Mendy, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE), urged young people to come out in their comfort zones and take up responsibilities to make the change they are yarning for and do away from criticisms. He urged the young Teachers Platform executive committee to focus and be firm in maintaining the platform.
“Your value of representation should be seen on the welfare of the people you represent”, Mendy told the gathering.
The following were elected unopposed: Adama K Baldeh as Vice Chairperson, Momodou Baka Dem as P.R.O, Alieu Bah as Region West Representative and Burama Fadera as Region 5 South Representative. Aja Nurse Jobarteh and Amadou Camara were elected as regional representative for Region 1 Kanifing Municipality (KM) and Banjul City council (BCC); while Jainaba Touray and Mustapha Demba were elected as Region 2 representatives respectively.
While Jainaba Jallow was elected as Region 3 East representatives, Ismaila Jallow as Region 4 representative, Fatoumatta N. Cham as Region 5 North representative while Aisha Demba and Babucarr Jallow were elected as Region 6 South and North representatives respectively.
The Gambia Teachers Union Young Teachers Platform (GTUYTP) was established in 2019 on the basis of serving and championing the interests of young teachers and education officers at all levels, and to ensure young teachers and education workers are adequately informed on relevant policy documents, activities and operations of the GTU; promote their welfare through partnership with relevant stakeholders.
By Adam Drammeh