#Article (Archive)

The Sky is The Limit for Girls Education! - School Proprietress

Jun 3, 2008, 5:39 AM | Article By: By Lamin B. Darboe

The proprietress of Irma-Kunda Nursery and Lower Basic School in Bakoteh Region One, Mrs. Therese Sawanneh has said that the sky is the limit when it comes to educating girls at her school. Mrs. Sawanneh made these comments in a recent interview with The Point at her Bakoteh residence. According to Mrs. Sawanneh the education of girls is very topical in the Gambia now and it is for this reason that they are now enjoying free education at her school. She said that any girl who excels will also be sponsored to attend secondary school.

She said that she wants to see girls in the Gambia progressing in society and becoming responsible citizens. Mrs. Sawanneh said that it is her intention to educate and give free education to all girls so that they can get jobs and benefit themselves, their parents and society.

According to her traditional beliefs and cultures are a serious hindrance to the education of girls in The Gambia and poverty is another contributing factor to the low enrolment of girls in schools.

She explained that for her school, with the help of resourceful teachers and her husband Modou Sawanneh, it is important to sensitise parents in the catchment area about the importance of education. According to her, she is sponsoring 22 orphans, 16 girls and six boys and also some boys who are from poor families but are academically very good. She thanked President Jammeh for encouraging more girls to go to school by providing initiatives in the form of free scholarships. She believes that education is a three-way partnership between government, parents and students and called on parents in the Gambia to change their views and attitudes to the education of girls.

It will be recalled that in April 2008 Irma Kunda Nursery and Lower Basic School's partners in Holland and their Gambian based proprietors donated 120 mosquito nets, two footballs, 500 pens and 13 packets of pencils to the school.