Even though Madrasa education is considered very important by a majority of Gambians, many Madrasa schools across the country lack the required resources, including learning materials and have poor infrastructure.
Provision of more training for the Madrasa teachers and managers is also very vital.
We, therefore, welcome the partnership between the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to launch an $11m project to boost bilingual education in the country.
We hope that with the launching of the new project, Madrasa education would be given priority in the country, just like the conventional education system has received.
With the new project, we hope that it would contribute to the balance between the formal and non-formal education systems in the country.
Our students who passed through the Madrasa or Arabic Islamic system of education should be accorded equal opportunities like their counterparts who passed through the conventional system.
This will give those graduates more self-dignity and recognition in society, while assuring them of greater prospects in life.
The parents who prefer to take their children to Madrasa schools should be assured of a quality and conducive learning environment for their wards, just like the ones they send to conventional schools.
We, therefore, believe that IDB and the Ministry of Education and their partners at the General Secretariat for Islamic Arabic Education in The Gambia, known as AMAANAH, should be commended for the new development.
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