Private schools must operate legally!

Quality education is an integral component in any country’s development. Considering that quality education can make immense contribution, therefore certain standard should be set for any country’s school system. The recent surge in the number of private schools in the country is a welcome development but violation of Education Act is course of concern.

It is been reported in the news that the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has raised alarm, warning private school heads to desist from “illegal operations.” This, the ministry disclosed violates the Education Act and the regulations governing the operation of private schools.

It further stated that some of these practices as: disregard for the national curriculum, not registering students for National Exams like the National Assessment Test (NAT), Gambia Basic Education Certificate Examination (GABECE) and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

We need educational centers that simultaneously prepares students for vocational and trade occupations as well as steering a clear course for higher education degrees.

To this end, the role played by teachers in children’s learning is crucial. Their absence contributes to the wide equity gap in access to learning.

To meet the new goals in education by 2030, it is essential to have all the schools make extra efforts so that there are sufficient numbers of qualified teachers dedicated to their profession in every school in the world. Quality teaching should feature as a matter of priority through support from all the concerned sectors.

The country’s education system especially students performance the West African Senior School Certificate Examination has shown some significant improvement.

Suffice it to state that the Education Sector Policy 2016-2030 is premised on The Gambia’s National Development Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), all of which are the developing agenda of Government, to improve the human capital of the country by reducing the number of people living below the poverty line.

To achieve these set goals in this policy, the ministry is working to achieve quality education with special focus on quality of teaching and learning in the country.

Certainly, the ministry is not opposed to approving license for private school operators, but let those schools also function in accordance with the Education Act and the regulations governing the operation of private schools.

“Every child should have the opportunity to receive a quality education.”

Bill Frist