The officials of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, (MoBSE) on Thursday visited MRC-Holland Foundation-supported ongoing renovation and construction of classroom blocks project sites in regions One and Two.
The visiting team was led by Minister Claudiana A. Cole; Permanent Secretary, Louis Moses Mendy; and Deputy Permanent Secretary, Jerre Sanyang and other senior officials within the sector. Minister Claudiana A. Cole affirmed that the visit was meant to monitor and prepare the grounds for the reopening of Grade 9 classes, which is slated for Wednesday, and subsequent reopening of all schools throughout the country.
The visit, she added also gave the opportunity for her sector’s officials to see for themselves the ongoing renovation and construction project sites.
The development came barely three months of closure of all schools as a result of the Covid-19 global outbreak and the subsequent emergency restrictions.
During the visits Minister Cole discusses with the school authorities the sitting arrangement for grade 9 students. She informed that each classroom needs to accommodate 25 students.
The Project manager of MRC-Holland Foundation The Gambia office, Henriette Braumer-Sonko remarked: “I deemed it necessary to quickly intervene by renovating 35 schools before the reopening of all schools and the amount for the renovation exercise is pegged at D40 million from lower basic to senior secondary schools within the six educational regions in the country.
The Minister and team visited: Tanjeh and Batokunku Lower Basic Schools, Sanyang Lower and Upper Basic Schools, Gunjur Lower Basic School, Bottrop Senior Secondary and Upper Basic Schools, Busumbala-Farato Lower Basic School, Busumbala Lower Basic School, Sinchu Baliya Lower Basic School, Latri-kunda Upper and Lower Basic Schools.