Foroyaa Editorial: How Free is Free Education For Girls?
Schools are at the verge of starting their courses for the next academic year. Parents are busy preparing for their young ones to go to school. Many families are confused about the government's claim to be offering free education for girls. They are wondering whether the programme covers the basic education and secondary education cycles. They also question whether all regions and categories of schools are covered.
In many countries when one mentions private schools one refers to schools for the children of elites. In the Gambia, there are few private schools which are designed for the children of the elites. The bulk of the private schools are back ups for public schools. People go there when the government schools can no longer accommodate applicants. The facilities in those schools are comparable to that of government.
Many girls who would want to be in public schools but are deprived because of the lack of space are asking whether government is responsible for sponsoring their education in such schools. This is why Foroyaa sent a reporter to the Department of State for Basic Education to enquire the state of the free education for girls programme. The reporter was asked to prepare questions and send it to the Department. The questions were submitted on 22 August 2007 but no answer has been given so far.
Foroyaa would like the public to ask any body who claims that there is free education for girls. Unless these questions are answered by the education authorities they have no moral authority to claim that there is free education for girls.
There can be no credibility without accountability. Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue Issue No. 109/2007, 17 - 18 September 2007
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone
this is interesting, i do think the free education is not always free, some regions will make a charge for classrooms, study groups, donation to school funds, it all adds up.
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Posted - 17 Sep 2007 : 16:34:42
