The National Council for Civic Education (NCCE) is organizing a five-day sensitization programme on human rights for schoolchildren.
The training kick-started at the weekend at Wassu and Kuntaur Upper Basic schools in the Central River Region north.
During the training, participants will be exposed to issues such as roles and responsibilities in school, the constitution of The Gambia, the rights of the child, freedom of expression and other related subjects.
The sensitization was coordinated in partnership with Action Aid International The Gambia with funding from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The campaign is also expected to cover thirty schools across the country with the aim of sensitizing them on their rights and responsibilities.
Speaking at the official opening at Wassu Upper Basic School on Monday, Junkung K. Saidy, civic education officer, told the schoolchildren that the NCCE was created in 1998 by an Act of Parliament.
He said their mandate is to serve as an independent non-partisan council to design and coordinate civic education programmes and to serve as the advocacy component to the National Governance Programme.
For his part, Ansumana Yabo, NCCE supervisor, thanked the headmasters for collaborating with them in enlightening the young people on their rights.
He said the purpose of the sensitization is to enlighten the students more to know their rights, obligations and responsibilities as well as to know the constitution of The Gambia.
He said the NCCE deems it very fitting to target the students to enlighten them about civic and human rights as well as the content of the constitution of The Gambia.
This is a piloted project in schools that started with the ministry of education, he said.
For her part, Juana Mendy of ADWAC said the importance of the sensitization cannot be over-emphasised since there is need for the students to know their rights and responsibilities as well as their obligations.
She therefore thanked organisers of the sensitization campaign and urged the students to participate in it fully as it is very important.
Momodou S. Kanyi, principal of Wassu Upper Basic School, hailed the NCCE for sensitizing students on the concepts of basic human rights.
He added that the sensitization will go a long way in helping the students to know their rights and responsibilities in school.
He then challenged the students to take the campaign seriously as it is very important to their life.
