By Abdou Mbye
The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE), in collaboration with its partners, on Friday, 6th September concluded a two-day national convergence at the Regional Education Office in Brikama, focused on rolling out the revised Scheme of Service (SoS) for the teaching cadre.
Senior officials from MoBSE and key stakeholders gathered to discuss the re-categorisation and reclassification of schools, as well as the deployment and posting of staff. The discussions centered around themes of teacher availability and accountability, equitable access to qualified teachers, professional development, and enhancing system efficiency.
In his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary (PS) at MoBSE, Mr. Louis Moses Mendy, underscored the government’s commitment to national development, noting that MoBSE must remain at the forefront due to its history of strong performance. He underscored the importance of officials delivering on their duties to ensure the education system operates efficiently.
“We have a lot at stake, and it would be unfair for teachers to begin the academic year without their entitlements,” said PS Mendy.
He thanked the Human Resources Directorate (HRD) team for their dedication, adding that the positive impact on teachers’ lives was immeasurable. He also extended gratitude to the Gambia Teachers Union for their collaboration and support.
Mr. Adama Jimba Jobe, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Programmes, reiterated the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that teachers receive their due recognition and are treated equally across all levels, including mission schools. He praised his colleagues and partners for their significant contributions to the ongoing reforms and encouraged regional directors to protect the committee’s recommendations while striving for improvement.
Essa Sowe, Deputy General Secretary of the GTU, called on all stakeholders to take responsibility for the decisions made during the convergence. He urged MoBSE to hold a press conference to celebrate the unprecedented success of the reforms, particularly the promotion of teachers.
Sowe also emphasised the importance of involving new head teachers in management discussions and urged them to prioritise monitoring and supervision under the SoS programme.
Bakary Ceesay, speaking on behalf of the regional directors, expressed gratitude to MoBSE for its ongoing efforts to improve the education sector. He assured the committee that the principles guiding the staff postings would remain intact, emphasising the unprecedented nature of the reforms.
In his closing remarks, Ebrima Saidy, Director of Human Resources, extended his appreciation to MoBSE, GTU, and The Gambia College for their unwavering support in ensuring the success of the process.
The convergence highlighted MoBSE’s commitment to enhancing the teaching profession through a structured and supportive framework, reinforcing the government’s broader objectives of educational reform and development.
