Bansang Educational appeal supports schools in CRR

A foundation called Bansang Educational Appeal recently donated learning and teaching materials to Bansang Senior Secondary School.

This information was revealed to journalists by the principal of the school, Ismaila Ceesay, during a press briefing at his office.

According to him, Bansang Educational Appeal is committed to supporting, promoting and strengthening education in Fulladou West district.

Since its establishment few years ago, the foundation has been very supportive in paying school fees, and providing learning and teaching materials to schools in the district.

The schools that have benefited from the foundation include Sololo Lower Basic School, Daru Lower Basic School, Mabally Kuta Lower Basic School, Bansang Upper Basic School, Bansang Senior Secondary School, Fuga Nursery School and Agape Nursery School. 

This academic year 75 students were selected to benefit from the sponsorship, Mr Ceesay revealed: "The sponsorship covers school uniforms, shoes and daily lunch for the whole academic year amounting to D163,000."

With support from the foundation, Bansang Senior Secondary School was able to open a new computer class where students from other schools are learning computing at reasonable cost.

"The foundation provides educational materials such as books, stationery, computers, physical education items and a grant for each of the sponsored school to use as revolving funds to generate more income to support small projects in their various schools," he added.

For her part, Dr Annabel Kerr, the initiator of Bansang Educational Appeal, stated that she once worked at the Bansang Hospital as a volunteer in 2004 and later realised the need to do something for the community of Bansang and its catchment areas.

According to Dr Kerr, the number of students the foundation has been sponsoring has continued to increase year by year from the initial 20 students it started with in 2008.

"We, of course, support them with learning and teaching materials; this has led to the formulation of links between the schools in The Gambia and in England," she added.

Sololo Lower Basic School has been linked with Old Saints Primary School, while Mabally Kuta Lower Basic School linked with Great Tothem Primary School, she explained.

In the same vein, Melbourne Park Primary School in the UK has also been linked with Daru Lower Basic School, whilst Bansang Upper Basic School and Bansang Senior Secondary School were respectively linked with Plune High School and Chelms Fends High School.

The reason for these linkages, according to Dr Kerr, was to build mutual understanding and everlasting relationships among schools and students of both countries to learn each others’ culture and tradition.

For his part, Alieu Baldeh, Science Master at Bansang Senior School, commended Dr Kerr for her laudable initiative.

He said also that the foundation had developed a partnership with the sister schools in England to work hand in glove in promoting education in both countries.

Some of the plans for this year, apart from sponsoring the selected 75 students, will include refurbishment work at Sololo and Bansang Upper Basic Schools, he says, adding that they would also fence Mabally Kuta Lower Basic School and upgrade the library and computer lab of Bansang Senior School.