Amidst the brief discussion that took place during the signing, heavy meaning was placed upon the need for institutions as such to have contracts in place that will work towards ensuring that there is profound service delivery and performance.
“The way our tertiary and higher institutions mould learners should be in such a way that upon graduation they migrate to their future offices with the right attitude and the right knowledge,” said Dr Gibril Jaw, the CEO of the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority (NAQAA); set to provide the supervisory and technical oversight required in the implementation of the Performance Contract.
He stated that while the signing of the contract was a step in the right direction, the governing councils would still require power and authority to oversee its implementation. Thus he called upon the leaders of the institutions to fulfill their part and anchor their subordinates to fall in line to strengthen the contract’s probability of success.
“Things as such should not be limited to our drawers; they should be communicated and disseminated so that the responsibilities assigned are fulfilled,” Dr Jaw said.
He signified and landed his statement by stressing that the ultimate goal of such an initiation is quality education that will move the country and make its education system vibrant enough to assist the government in achieving its set target in the national developmental plan.
“The cardinal pillars of this Contract have been tailored around ensuring the quality of teaching and learning, improving research output, improving institutional management systems, the provision of infrastructure and equipment, as well as performance evaluation, professional conduct, and growth,” said higher education minister, Professor Pierre Gomez.
He further made it known that the contract was the first of its kind in the tertiary and higher institution community, stating that one month after its signature, NAQAA would work with the key stated institutions to finalise all significant indicators.
Professor Pierre Gomez added: “The performance contract will make great emphasis on programs as per the Gambia national qualification framework, which has articulated all the competencies required for academic excellence.”
The chairpersons of councils and boards and heads of institutions were encouraged to live up to the pivotal roles that were assigned to them with the initiation of the contract. In response, they said duties would be fulfilled as expected.
