The
Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has taken a hard but very essential
action on nursery schools that have failed this year to meet the standards set
by the Ministry for such schools to function.
Although
we want education to be available and affordable to all in the society, especially reaching
out to children or people
living in remote areas, it should be made not to be provided on the altar of selfish gains.
Rather
quality education, decency and sound environmental settings must always be
taken into consideration, as learning centres are set up in the communities and
across the nation.
The
schools closed by the Ministry last week have had to suffer such a fate for breaking the rules and regulations governing
private schools operations, as stipulated
in the “Guidelines for the
Opening of Private and other schools in the Gambia” (Sept 1998) and “School
premises Regulations” (page 37 – 45 chapter 46 of the Laws of The Gambia - 1990).
Although
education is a responsibility that society owes to itself, it should not be
provided in a manner equivalent to doing more harm than good to society, more
so that in this case, it involves the future stewards of our beloved nation.
Those
people who want to complement the efforts of Government in taking education to
the doorstep of our people are to be mindful of the guideline and regulations
governing the opening and operation of schools in the country.
Education
is more than a luxury; it is a responsibility that society owes to itself, so
it should be provided for the real good of the nation, Standards must be met to
ensure our children get a bright beginning in the realm of education.
Those
who want to put up schools, therefore, should really put their houses in order
before opening their doors to the public.
“It
is a greater work to educate a child, in the true and larger sense of the word,
than to rule a state.”
William
Ellery Cheany
