In a bid to enhance education service delivery, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE), through government funding, will provide textbooks to schools across the country this year. Delivered by the Gambia Printing and Publishing Corporation (GPPC) at a ceremony held at its complex in Kanifing on Saturday, September 21, the textbooks, covering all subjects, will be distributed to senior secondary schools nationwide. The books are authored by Gambian writers, and published through the collaborative support of the ministry and The Gambia Writers Association. The books reflect the Gambian context, depicting the country’s social, political, educational, and economic setup and realities.
The Permanent Secretary at MoBSE, Louis Moses Mendy, expressed profound gratitude to GPPC management and The Gambia Writers Association for the timely completion of the project. He assured that the ministry will ensure timely distribution of the books to all schools, and reiterated its commitment to providing quality education. “The contents of the books are excellent. I commend the writers for a job well done and encourage them to remain united, as writing is challenging,” PS Mendy urged. The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Information, Amie Njie, said the initiative has given the Writers Association the opportunity to showcase their talent and capacity in producing quality content.
“The review process has indicated that the content is of high quality. It will help our students acquire the prerequisite knowledge to succeed in life,” she explained. PS Njie also stated that producing the books locally will help balance and minimise the costs spent on foreign suppliers. She added that with more resources, GPPC could expand its capacity not only for publishing books but also for printing national documents. The Managing Director of GPPC, Mr. Momodou Ceesay, expressed gratitude to the government, MoBSE, the Ministry of Information, and the Writers Association for collaborating with them to fulfill this commitment.
“One of the core mandates of this institution is to print, publish, and distribute books to schools in The Gambia. We want to ensure that we rise to those challenges by improving our delivery capacity,” MD Ceesay stated. Speaking on behalf of his fellow directors, the Director of Regional Education Directorate One, Mr. Bakary Ceesay, thanked the government and the ministry for providing textbooks to schools. He commended the initiative of producing the books locally, calling it a great achievement. He observed that it allows for easy replenishment of supplies when needed. Mr. Kanuteh, the President of the Gambia Writers Association, expressed appreciation for being part of the groundbreaking event. “This is an unprecedented initiative by the government. Supplying books across the country ensures that all students, regardless of location, will have 100 percent access to the textbooks,” Mr. Kanuteh added. He expressed gratitude to MoBSE and GPPC for their support and collaboration throughout the process.
By Abdou Mbye
