By Tabora Bojang
The United Nations office in The Gambia has urged government to fully commit and allocate 20% of the national budget to the education sector in order to address challenges facing education in the country.
Seraphine Wakana the UN resident coordinator in the Gambia made the recommendation yesterday during a media briefing as part of activities marking the 73rdanniversary of the United Nations.
She said despite the Gambia’s clear commitment and significant progress in the sector, there still remain some impediments including inequalities in access and quality, low skilled and low motivated teachers and inadequate teaching and learning tools amongst others.
The recent WASSCE results for grade 12 showed a significant decline in the performance of Gambian students, with only 475 candidates getting university entrance out of 13,335 students.
This performance she added, is partly attributed to lack of ‘quality education’ in the country and to make “progress and improve future performances, the government and partners must move with speed to implement the national development plan and on its targets on quality learning and relevant livelihoods.”
According to Madam Wakana who was the former Minister of Planning, Development and Reconstruction in Burundi, the Gambia must adopt policies and practices that improve quality education at all levels.
She pledged that the UN system remains committed to assisting the government and people of the Gambia to achieve sustainable development goals and ensure that no one is left behind.
