We were
left wondering after reading reports from a local newspaper of a purported memo
discouraging school authorities from holding summer school studies this year.
If confirmed, this development would no doubt be viewed as a bad move on the side of our education authorities.
Summer studies in many parts of the world including here in The Gambia help students learn new things; refresh their minds on what they have learnt and help cover their syllabus, among others.
It is also a platform where students are engaged in more extra serious group work, thus keeping them busy and academically engaged during the normal school vacations.
We therefore, oppose any attempt to discourage school summer studies in The Gambia either by the Education Ministry, regional education officials or individual school authorities.
Since summer school studies have proven to be a good avenue for furthering the education of our students, we believe that no genuine education administrator wishing Gambian young people well will discourage it in our school system.
Whatever the case maybe, whether it is mere speculation or something being thought about at the Ministry of Education level, our position is that summer school should not be discouraged.
Finally, we salute the teachers who have been sacrificing their time to provide summer classes to our students, and the parents for also allowing their kids to participate in this worthy venture.
