Pa Samba Baldeh made this disclosure before the press on Friday during the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) routine Bantaba Forum held at the Ministry’s conference hall in Banjul.
The purpose of the Friday forum was to inform the public about the state of preparedness for the upcoming exams for grade 9 students across the six educational regions in the country.
Mr. Baldeh commended MoBSE and its stakeholders for the reopening of grade 9 classes for examination, describing the reopening as a right decision.
“Instead of students sitting to their exams for 9-day as it used to be in the years past, this year, students will sit to their exams for eight days,” he informed the press.
According to WAEC National boss; his office was ready to conduct exams for grade 9 students based on health protocols.
The acting head, Test and Administrative Department (TAD), West African Examination Council (WAEC) National Office in Banjul, Demba Sawaneh, buttressed the same sentiments earlier expressed; that WAEC National Office was ready to conduct exam for grade 9 students.
Sawaneh said as at now, their office has put in place everything that would make the conduct of the exam a success. “We are just waiting for the time and we are on top of our schedule,” Sawaneh revealed.
The national coordinator, Education for All Campaign Network in The Gambia (EFANet), Kebba Omar Jarjusey, applauded the cordial relationship between the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and his civil society organisation.
Regional Education director for Region (1), Alhajie Ousman Bah, principals Latri-kunda Upper Basic and Essau Senior Secondary schools, Madam Kura Njie and Adama Jeng and SMC regional chairperson for Region (1), Bakary Kanyi, all expressed satisfaction about turn-out of grade 9 students in the schools despite their month’s stay-at-home due to covid-19 crisis.
