Marina International School has, for generations, occupied a special place in the educational history of The Gambia. Established in 1958 through the vision and collective efforts of Gambians and British expatriates, the school began its journey with an ambition that extended beyond the provision of classroom education. Its founders envisaged an institution committed to academic excellence, discipline, character development, cultural diversity and the preparation of young people for lives of responsibility and service. Nearly seven decades later, few would dispute Marina’s contribution to the educational and professional development of successive generations of Gambians. It became a respected institution, a source of pride to its Alumni, and a school whose name commanded recognition both within and beyond our national borders.
The achievements of Marina International School cannot be measured simply by the number of pupils who passed through its classrooms or the examination results recorded over the years. Its contribution is reflected in the generations of professionals, entrepreneurs, public servants and community leaders whose formative education was shaped by the institution. Among its former students are Dr Kebba Marenah, the distinguished orthopaedic surgeon whose professional contributions have helped advance specialist medical care in The Gambia. Bai Bintou Kaira, whose progression from chemical engineering into biomedical research illustrates the international achievements of Marina graduates, just to name a few. These are merely examples of a much wider community of former pupils who have excelled in law, medicine, engineering, finance, diplomacy, commerce, academia and other professional disciplines.
For many families, Marina was never merely a school. It was an institution with which successive generations identified. Parents who had themselves been educated at Marina subsequently returned to enrol their children, confident that the values and standards they had experienced would continue to be upheld. Its classrooms brought together pupils from different nationalities, cultures, religions and socioeconomic backgrounds, creating an educational environment founded upon mutual respect, tolerance and intellectual curiosity. Its reputation rested not simply on the academic qualifications it offered but on the quality of education, discipline, personal development and institutional culture it represented.
The great American educational reformer Horace Mann (Twelfth Annual Report to the Massachusetts’ Board of Education 1848), widely regarded as a pioneer of public education, once observed that “Education, then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men.” This profound observation remains particularly relevant to Marina’s evolution from an institution historically associated with expatriates and affluent families into one increasingly accessible to Gambians from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Quality education should be an instrument of opportunity, personal advancement and social mobility, rather than a privilege determined solely by family wealth or social standing. Marina’s distinguished educational tradition should therefore be preserved in a manner that recognises both the importance of maintaining high academic standards and the considerable sacrifices made by families seeking those opportunities for their children. Educational excellence and broader accessibility should be complementary ambitions, not competing considerations.
The school’s Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2009 were a fitting recognition of that remarkable journey. They brought together members of the school community to celebrate an institution that had become firmly embedded in The Gambia’s educational landscape. Mrs Sira Wally Ndow Njie, who chaired the Board of Governors during that period, was among those who participated in commemorating the school’s achievements. Over the decades, successive Chairpersons, Governors, administrators, teachers, parents and other stakeholders contributed in different ways to building and sustaining an institution whose reputation became a national asset.
For many years, Marina International School was widely regarded as an elite educational institution, not merely because of its academic excellence and international character, but also because of the socioeconomic backgrounds of the families who could afford to enrol their children. Historically, the school attracted a predominantly expatriate community, including children of diplomats, international civil servants and professionals employed by multinational corporations and international organisations, many of whose tuition fees were paid by their employers as part of their employment packages. For ordinary Gambian families, whose children’s educational expenses had to be met from their own resources, Marina was often considered financially beyond their reach.
However, that historical perception of exclusivity has gradually changed. Over the years, the school has witnessed a significant transformation in the socioeconomic diversity of its parent community. Gambians from different professional backgrounds and walks of life, including those living and working in the diaspora and others who have built successful careers, businesses and livelihoods at home, have through hard work, determination and financial sacrifice become increasingly capable of enrolling their children at Marina.
What was once perceived as an institution largely accessible to expatriates and a relatively affluent segment of Gambian society has consequently evolved into a more diverse educational community, reflecting the aspirations and economic progress of a broader cross-section of Gambian families. Many of these parents are not beneficiaries of corporate educational allowances or employer-sponsored tuition packages. They personally shoulder the considerable financial responsibility of educating their children, often making significant sacrifices because they believe in the quality of education and opportunities Marina represents.
This transformation is an achievement worth recognising, but it also places a greater responsibility upon the school’s governing authorities to appreciate the changing composition and financial circumstances of the families they serve. The substantial increase in school fees without meaningful prior consultation must therefore be viewed against this important historical development. Decisions that may be relatively inconsequential to parents whose employers bear the costs can have serious financial consequences for self-funding families. Marina’s evolution from a predominantly expatriate and socially exclusive institution into a more diverse educational community should be accompanied by an equally progressive approach to governance, inclusivity, consultation and respect for parents. It would be deeply unfortunate if an institution that has gradually become accessible to a wider section of Gambian society were to reverse that progress through financial decisions that fail to adequately consider the circumstances of the very families who have contributed to its transformation.
Marina’s governance arrangements were an important feature of its identity. As a not-for-profit educational institution with a Board of Governors drawn through a parent-based governance framework, it was designed to operate for the benefit of its pupils rather than for the commercial enrichment of shareholders. The Parents–Teachers Association provided a mechanism through which parents and teachers could participate in the affairs of the school, raise concerns, contribute ideas and support institutional development. The Board, for its part, was entrusted with exercising oversight, providing strategic direction, ensuring financial responsibility and safeguarding the school’s educational mission.
This relationship between the Board and the parent community was fundamental. The school has principally depended upon fees paid by parents for its financial sustainability. Those contributions support teaching and administrative staff, educational resources, facilities, infrastructure, maintenance and the everyday operations necessary to sustain a reputable educational institution. It follows that parents are not merely customers purchasing an educational service. They are indispensable stakeholders whose financial contributions, confidence and continued commitment make the school’s existence possible.
The PTA, therefore, should never be regarded as a ceremonial association whose principal responsibility is to organise social activities, attend school functions or mobilise financial contributions. It is an important institution of stakeholder participation and accountability. Its existence reflects the recognition that education is a shared responsibility between parents, teachers and school authorities, and that the best interests of children are advanced where these constituencies work together in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
The distinguished educational philosopher John Dewey (in Chapter 1, The School and Social progress 1899) captured the relationship between parents, schools and the wider community when he observed that “What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child, that must the community want for all of its children.” Dewey’s philosophy reminds us that education is not the exclusive responsibility of teachers, administrators or governing boards, but a collective endeavour involving families and the communities that schools exist to serve. This principle carries particular significance for Marina International School, whose historical identity and governance arrangements recognise the indispensable contribution of parents to its continued existence. A responsible Board should therefore regard parents as partners in the pursuit of educational excellence, rather than as passive recipients of decisions made without their meaningful participation. Disagreement between parents and school authorities should ordinarily invite dialogue, mutual understanding and constructive engagement, not an instinctive resort to confrontation. A Board that fails to appreciate the importance of its relationship with parent’s risks undermining the very foundation upon which the school’s educational mission depends.
The same recognition must be extended to Marina’s genuine Alumni community. Former students have helped preserve the school’s traditions, contributed to its development, supported educational initiatives and carried its reputation into their respective professions and communities. Their institutional memory and continued loyalty are valuable assets. Alumni should be encouraged to participate constructively in the advancement of the school, although such participation must complement, rather than diminish, the legitimate role of current parents and teachers.
“to be continued tomorrow”
By Omar F M’Bai
