EFANet marks Global Action Week for Education

The Global Action Week for Education is marked globally to galvanise and mobilise joint action around specific issues affecting the right to education and raise awareness to all actors involved in the defence and realisation.

This  year’s theme is -“Invest in Public and Transformative Education, Education Transforms.”

At the event, Louise Moses Mendy, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) renewed government's commitment to providing quality education for children.

PS Mendy equally highlighted government's stance in ensuring that the education system is transformed as he said they have recently initiated a policy review on the education sector of the country. 

"The policy aims not only to provide students with pedagogy skills but to learn how to put into realities of what they have learned during exams. The policy, however, emphasizes on the needs of ensuring that students are provided the skill sets needed for the development of the country and also needed in a competitive world. Other critical skills set are needed going forward to our development agenda of making the Gambia a middle level country.”

PS Mendy thus challenged parents to equip their children with the necessary skills needed for the future, for them to serve and fulfil the saying that they are the leaders of tomorrow.

Kebba Omar Jarjusey, National Coordinator of EFANet said EFANet upholds the principle that education is a basic human right and that their mission is to urge governments to act now to deliver the right of everyone to a free, quality, public education for all.

With a diverse membership of over 200 members both at national and regional level, he said the mandate of EFANet is to build the capacity of CSOs to effectively advocate and hold the government accountable for provision of education in The Gambia. 

Lamin Jawo, Speaker of the Children’s National Assembly, explained that transformative education goes beyond the mere transmission of knowledge, rather it seeks to foster critical thinking, creativity, and a sense of agency among learners, empowering them to become active participants and agents of change in their communities. 

He further said investing in education does not only mean securing a brighter future, but also laying the foundations for sustainable development and prosperity for generations to come.

“However, amidst these challenges lie opportunities for innovation and transformation. The Gambia’s youthful population represents a demographic dividend that, if properly harnessed through education, can drive economic growth and social progress.”

Mr Ansumana Camara of Action Aid International the Gambia, said education is crucial to ending poverty, addressing inequalities, and promoting peace and stability. "Education is the foundation of progress, empowerment, and equality.

"It is not only a fundamental human right, but also a catalyst for sustainable development and social justice. It is thus important that education is not regarded as a privilege for the few but as a right for everyone to access. However, millions around the world are still denied access to quality education due to systemic barriers, poverty, discrimination and conflict.” 

He reaffirmed Action Aid’s support to EFANet’s mission and called on governments, policymakers, CSOs and other stakeholders at all levels to prioritise education, by allocating sufficient resources and implementing right policies that guarantee the right to education for every child, youth and adult.