The forum, officials said was a result of the recently concluded Adoptive Learning Pilot (AL Pilot) in The Gambia.
The recent assessments by the Adoptive Learning Pilot, they added, which include the Teacher Competency Assessment (TCA) highlighted significant challenges in the content, knowledge and skills of pre-service teachers in The Gambia.
The convergence which was held at the Bakadaji hotel, was aimed at bringing key stakeholders together with a view to reflecting on the challenges and collaboratively explore innovative solutions to enhance the quality of pre-service teacher education.
During the session, participants discussed the recently concluded (AL Pilot) which utilised the Al-driven platform Mindspark to support pre-service teachers in developing fundamental Math and English skills.
Professor Pierre Gomez, the Minister of Higher Education, said the session also focused on outcomes and key learning from the Adaptive Learning Pilot and discussed the implementation challenges and potential solutions.
He added: “This includes the opportunities for scaling up adaptive learning technologies and other interventions in order to improve the content knowledge of pre-service teachers and align on potential next steps and future directions.”
Minister Gomez said: “Recent estimates suggest that approximately 90% of our 10-year-olds struggle to read and understand a simple passage. This statistic is not just a number, but it represents the future of our nation, our children who deserve better.”
The recent Teacher Competency Assessments, he stated, revealed that only about “60% of our graduating pre-service teachers for lower basic education achieved minimum proficiency. These stark realities demand immediate and undivided attention.”
To respond to these challenges, he said, “we have launched the Adaptive Learning Pilot, a collaborative effort between MoHERST and MoBSE, The Gambia College, and the World Bank. This is an initiative aimed to enhance the foundation of math and English skills for pre-service teachers using Mindspark, an AI-driven adaptive learning platform.”
Jason Weaver, Senior Economist Education Global Practice, from the World Bank, said: “The role of teachers, especially teachers in the early grades, is especially crucial as the government prioritises improving foundational learning.”
The government efforts to improve teacher competency through the Teacher Competency Assessment (TCA) and transitioning to a three-year teacher training program, he continued, are essential steps toward ensuring that every student has access to qualified, competent educators.
Aboubacarr Jallow, the Principal of The Gambia College said the College would continue to strive towards the improvement of quality education of teachers.
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