By Lamin Njie
The National Centre for Arts and Culture and its partners are coordinating efforts to ensure that by mid-2025, The Gambia has its first-ever National Languages Policy in place. This piece of information was revealed by Hassoum Ceesay, Director General of the National Centre for Arts and Culture, during a recent training session for Gambian performing artistes, including musicians, writers, poets, dancers, and filmmakers, held at the Centre’s Annex along Kairaba Avenue. Mr Ceesay informed the participants that the project is sponsored by the Academy of African Languages of the African Union (ACALAN) to create awareness of the proposed National Languages Policy for The Gambia.
He disclosed that the National Languages Policy should be a policy that will help to empower Gambians taking into consideration all languages spoken in the country. “These languages are rich and have a critical role to play in national development. But we also know that as far as national development is concerned, these languages are underutilized. This language policy will look at how to empower our languages, promote and preserve them,” he said.
