MoBSE should take full responsibility
for students’ consolidated mass failures in exams
Dear editor,
It is so disturbing and disheartening to read the West African Examination Council- Gambia’s press release, 2018 indicating the dismal and wasteful performance of students from the Gambia. The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) should take full responsibility for this as they lack proper leadership, coordination, and administrative capacities necessary to direct our educational system in the right path that will guarantee quality and help improve, consolidate and strengthen our slow developmental processes characterised by misplaced priorities that never deliver results.
For example, the Coordinating Committee’s meeting (CCM), an annual event which attracts many stakeholders to asses quality education, environmental, and teaching and learning and conditions of schools amongst others now become wasteful and money grabbing events for participants who are not only well fed, or drive expensive cars, but go home with fat allowances. What those CCM achieve since established and those their work translates into quality education? CCM do not only play roles of cluster monitors who represent regional director/directorate but the moneys that should be used to buy sufficient teaching and learning materials especially for schools in the country side such as prescribed literaru text approved by WAEC is almost killing the study of English-Literature and partly contributes to the increased failure in English Language.
In addition, MoBSE’s almost zero motivation of teachers contributes to the teaches’ ineffectiveness. Motivation of staff contributes to the fine and efficient delivery services in successful institution, but as I write never see or hear any initiative by MoBSE that motivates teachers. Teachers’ salaries and allowances need to be reviewed to make sure that they are paid and on time. Teacher trainees especially should be paid to avoid stress and other psychological related problems. This will promote their performance and professional development.
The MoBSE despite establishing Regional Educational Directorates representing MoBSE, teaches in all regions always rush to the ministry for their pay slips, which undermines their work especially teachers in the farthest region from Banjul. Look, we are in a digital world; the ministry could channel it to the regional education directorate to avoid the painful and stressful journeys to Banjul.
Scarcity of teaching and learning materials also contributes to the dismal performance of students and MoBSE should be blamed for it. It is so sad to learn that most schools especially in provincial Gambia lacks relevant teaching and learning materials such as prescribed literally text approved by WAEC and simple scientific apparatus even at college and university level were teachers and trained.
All aforementioned problems and challenges and faced by Faced by both students and teachers played a part in the students mass failures in exams are cause by lack of organised leadership, and coordination by MoBSE.
MoBSE should reorganise themselves and review these policies to restore Gambian’s torn credibility in the international academic environment.
Sanna Badjie
Kombo Kerewan
