As part of its human rights education in schools project, Beakanyang, a youth-led NGO on Wednesday organised an inter-school human rights quiz finals.
The competition held at Charles Jow Memorial Academy in Bundung attracted ten schools across the country.
The event was funded by the US Embassy in Banjul as part of a six-month project support given to the local orgnaistaion.
Speaking on the occasion, Janel Heird, Public Affairs Officer of the US Embassy said: “Human rights are a core foreign policy priority for the United States Government and our Mission in The Gambia. We were excited at the opportunity to strengthen human rights education in Gambian schools. Human rights education must be embedded in the everyday Gambian experience.”
According to her, conversations about human rights must begin in Gambian schools and households, and expand into institutions.
She applauded Beakanyang for successfully staging the quiz and for reaching out to thousands of Gambian students through the project support.
Speaking earlier, Nfamara Jawneh, Executive Director of Beakanyang and country coordinator of Youth for Human Rights The Gambia thanked the schools for their participation.
He thanked the US Embassy for their financial support to the project and also hailed the Youth for Human Rights International for their technical support.
He reaffirmed his organization’s commitment in brining human rights education to the doorstep of every Gambian.
He recalled that they have established human rights clubs in the ten participating schools to help students know more about their rights and rights of others.
“If we have the necessary support we would love to expand this initiative to all Upper and Senior schools in the country in two years’ time,” he emphasized.
Lamin Darboe, Executive Director of National Youth Council was full of praises for Beakanyang and their partners for a successful quiz final.
Madam Sukai Sagnia, principal of Charles Jow thanked Beakanyang for choosing her school to host the historic event.
Meanwhile, after hours of series of rounds of questions, Charles Jow emerged as winners followed by Nusrat Senior Secondary School and Soma Upper and Senior Secondary School lifted the third-place trophy.
All participating schools were awarded certificates in recognition of their participation and students were also given human rights educational booklets.
