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.
