By Mahzouba Maya Faal
The Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology’s Strategic Plan 2021-2025 aims at reforming Gambia College to a Teacher Education University. Speaking on behalf of the ministry, the permanent secretary, Mod Secka, said the vision is geared towards addressing teacher quality in the country.
The reform is part of the ministry’s transformation agenda to upgrade tertiary and higher education institutions to reputable world-class standard. Mr Secka, revealed that the plan for Gambia College, is to disintegrate the schools of agriculture, nursing and midwifery and integrate them into the University of The Gambia’s Faculty of Agriculture, and School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences respectively. The School of Public Health at the College will be integrated into the WASCAL Faculty of the University of The Gambia. The Gambia College School of Education will then stand alone and be upgraded to a degree-awarding university for teachers.
The ministry’s strategic plan identified that the new teacher university will stop enrolling students in Primary Teachers Certificate PTC (Diploma programmes) to only Higher Teachers Certificate HTC (Advanced Diploma programmes). In five years, the ministry intends to phase out HTC to make the minimum qualification, a degree.
The new teachers university will offer courses in different areas. These include, a Bachelor of Science in Education with two teaching subjects; a Bachelor of Arts in Education with two teaching subjects; a Bachelor of Education in Administration or Management; a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood; a Bachelor of Education in Curriculum Development and a Bachelor of Education in Education Planning.
The reform is meant to enhance not only teacher quality, but at the same time, quality in nursing, agriculture and public health.
