From
post-independance to date, the system of education in The Gambia mainly focus
on only academics and not much has been done to harness the huge potential in
vocational skill education. As Writers’ Association of The Gambia responsible
for promoting a literary culture in The Gambia, our Action Plan for 2019-2021
is produced to complement the existing Education Policy of The Gambia. The
three year framework document articulates the ambition, values and goals that
are the basis for the high-level work programme of the association, its
partners and mandate.
This
will impact on us as a nation to create the Gambia we want - by complementing
the efforts of government towards the attainment of the National Development
Plan (NPD). In response, we are working to ensure that we can provide the right
skills offering, to secure economic recovery and to increase opportunities for
all learners. During 2020, our focus will be on embedding the systemic reforms
we have already begun. These are taking place across the entire continuum of
education and training services on creative writing , in order to ensure that
we equip Gambian students’ with the skills and knowledge that they need to
achieve their potential and to participate fully in society and the economy.
Delivering on our 2020 actions means that we are shaping our education and
training services so that they are best placed to respond to broader political
and economic uncertainty. Quality enhancing measures are being further embedded
across the system, professional development is being enhanced, our capital
programme is expanding, and we are continuing to progress our literacy
programme in order to provide a solid foundation to the sector. Our Action Plan
is for school children and teachers who want to make a difference in the lives
of their students through a focus on literacy for our reading and writing
project. What does literacy have to do with high dropout rates, low test
scores, frustrated teachers and students, and irate employers? Just about
everything.
Adolescent
literacy is in a state of crisis in The Gambia in the Age of Technology. WAG
estimates that as many as 8,000+ junior and senior secondary school students
read below grade level (WAG Secretariat , 2019). The number at risk is far
higher when we talk about the literacy habits and skills that students will
need to meet 21st-Century demands: core subject knowledge, 21st-century
content, learning and thinking skills, information and communications technology,
and life skills.
Students
are dropping out of school in large numbers, many because they do not have the
academic literacy skills to be successful in school. Limited literacy skills
are a barrier to getting and retaining good employment and participating actively
as a citizen. A substantial percentage of high school graduates need remedial
classes in reading and writing when they get to the Gambia College or The
University of The Gambia (UTG), etc. Scores on the National Assessment Test
(NAT) remain flat. The bottom line is that many students in The Gambia are
leaving high school unprepared to read, write, speak, listen, and think at a
level needed for college, careers, or citizenship.
Many
school leaders are daunted by the size and complexity of the task. Systemic
development of literacy influences—and is influenced by—all aspects of school
including curriculum, instruction, assessment, policies and structures,
resource allocation, teacher professional development, and school culture.
Therefore, it is understandable that many upper basic and secondary school
leaders wonder where to begin and what is involved in the process of improving
literacy achievement for all students despite the free education for all. The
Education Policy of the Gambia should be accompanied by a National Book Policy!
Our
goal in as an association is to help junior school, secondary school, and
tertiary institutions address the challenge of improving students’ skills in
reading, writing, speaking, and thinking. School and regional education offices
need to know what they can do to reverse the cycle of failure experienced by so
many students in the areas of reading and writing and how schools can be
organized to prepare all students to meet the literacy demands of 21st-century
life, be it in school, in the workplace, or as a citizen. In the broadest
sense, school and regional education offices need to take three important
steps:
1.
Develop and communicate a literacy vision: work toward a shared understanding
of literacy goals, and create a schoolwide literacy vision that will inspire
faculty, students, parents, and the community to motivate and engage students
in becoming competent readers, writers, speakers, and thinkers by reading
Gambian books written by Gambians. We must get rid of all foreign books in our
schools and replace them with our own books. I’ve travelled wider across Africa
to 15 different countries - I can tell with certainty that you hardly find
foreign books in school curriculums of other African countries.
2.
Translate the literacy vision into action: establish and lead a schoolwide
literacy team ( book clubs in school which is our mandate ) that includes
representatives from all content areas who will work to develop and implement a
schoolwide literacy action plan for at least one year. Provide quality teacher
professional development and expect all teachers to provide literacy support in
the content areas. Ensure that literacy interventions are in place to help
struggling readers and aspiring writers. Set up procedures to monitor progress.
We need reading and writing projects to implement this vision. Reading and
writing should be taught in schools as a subjects if we want to improve our
performance in WAEC/WASSCE as a nation. It’s so sad noticing how terribly bad
public offices in The Gambia write reports, letters, minutes, statements , etc
and interestingly, those overseeing those offices are the very PhD holders,
those with masters degrees, etc.
3.
Create and sustain a supportive, literacy-rich environment: promote an academically
oriented, orderly, and purposeful school climate with literacy as the central
focus on the use of Gambian books in school curriculums. We’re sick and tired
of getting our books approved by MoBSE without any form of patronage from them.
At least if they won’t buy the book, let them closely work with the Gambia
Printing and Publishing Cooperation (GPPC) to print and send all books approved
by MoBSE to schools across the country.
I
would like to acknowledge the high level of engagement we have had with our
partners ( NCAC, UNESCO and Gambia National Library Service Authority) in the
development of the NATIONAL BOOK POLICY FOR THE GAMBIA. This underlines the
fact that almost three quarter of the population are learners who are youths;
there is a huge level of interest in our work due to its wide-spread impact as
the most successful association under the NCAC.
It
sets out our ambition to have the best education system in West Africa by 2030
with less foreign teachers. It recognizes that learning as a public good has a
critical role in the development, cohesion and wellbeing of society. Education
is at the heart of all of our ambitions as a nation. No other area of
government activity has greater capacity to change our country for the better
apart from education. It supports the development of a strong growing economy
while sustaining a fair and compassionate society. An excellent and innovative
education and training system is pivotal to personal fulfillment, the building
of a fair society and a successful nation. It is central to sustaining economic
success and in building strong communities. Our central vision is that, through
adopting a “whole-of-system” approach, the Gambian education system should lead
in innovation and a broad range of endeavors and that we will harness education
and training to break down barriers for groups at risk of exclusion and set the
benchmark for social inclusion. Through this approach, our ambition is that we
will deliver to the highest national and international standards, and prepare
learners of all ages to participate and succeed in a changing world.
Since
our inception in 2009 to date , we have sent more than 20 people to the first
and second Republics of The Gambia. Meaning that most of our executive members
still hold or held high positions in government such as Secretary General and
Head of the Civil Service, PS, DPS, Director Generals, Dean of various
departments, etc. We’ve made real progress towards achieving our goals and
objectives. 86% of actions targeted for delivery by the end of 2020 is to
create a Gambia of arts and culture.
The
intended book policy emphasis across the continuum of education from early
years to higher education includes: taking action to strengthen and revitalize
the gone Fast Track Initiative (FTI) ; using digital technologies to enhance
teaching, learning and assessment; increasing competence in local languages;
initiating a review of senior cycle programmes; tackling disadvantage,
strengthening inclusion and supporting transitions; building leadership
capacity and actively supporting a professional workforce; continuously
improving quality including embedding a new model of inspections and a review
of higher education; strengthening entrepreneurship and innovation; focused
engagement with enterprise; and enhancing career opportunities and developing
strong alternative pathways including further education and training,
traineeships and apprenticeships.
Modou
Lamin Age-Almusaf Sowe ( ML Sowe)- Author and Scholar,
Former
University Librarian and the Director of Academic Research at African
Development University (ADU),
Founder
of the Young Writers’ Association of the Gambia (YWAG),
Current
Secretary General of the Writers’ Association of The Gambia (WAG),
CEO
- Founder, The Voice of The Pen (VOP).
