Casa greenlights D2.6M school rehab project

By Sise Sawaneh The Community Action Support Association, (Casa) – Gambia on Sunday handed over D2.6-million refurbished  Brufut Lower Basic School project to the community. The project is being funded by the MRC- Holland, Child Care Education Foundation, Elizabeth Strouven and Wilde Ganzen to enhance teaching and a conducive learning environment. The initiative was undertaken by some natives of Brufut to augment the standard of the Brufut Lower Basic School in order to improve quality education. Since its establishment in 1961, the community-based school has been challenged with meagre resources or facilities, prompting support from partners and even natives. The chairman of Casa, Ebrima Jatta, said since education is the bedrock of any empowerment initiative, children must be included and supported. He disclosed that the association has provided 500 steel-built benches with tables, and rehabilitated the school’s toilets and the building of eight extra toilets for teachers. “We tiled the classrooms and are working to maintenance the school’s library and staff room as well as the repainting of the school’s building in one year.” Henriette Brummer Sonko, hononary consul of The Netherlands to The Gambia, expressed her office’s commitment to supporting such schools. “Children far from the capital are highly deprived and that’s where our assistance falls,” she committed. Sonko promised the construction of additional classrooms to accommodate pupils. One Omar Nyass, appealed for a proper upkeep of the school. The Executive Secretary of Casa, Mariama Kebbeh, calls for more collaboration between the school and other partners, and used the platform to stress that through volunteerism, the lives of many could be changed. The representative of Casa-GAMBIA Netherlands, Francine Simon, was among those who spoke at the event. School management, pupils, parents and elders of the community cheer the project, as they believe it will enhance the educational level of their children.]]>