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eire
Zimbabwe
28 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Dec 2007 : 23:29:18
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On a recent visit to my homeland,The Gambia, I was shocked to see so many students out of their schools. They were seemingly wandering in and out of school at will. As I was staying in Banjul, the particular culprits were students from Gambia and StAugustine SSS and Crab Island and I hate to say it St. Josephs.How are these students allowed to absent them from their classes? Has school discipline collapsed. In my day corporal punishment was used. Is it still used today?Is it because they had no teachers? Also I noticed that both mornings and afternoons there were large queues of students waiting by the side of the roads begging lifts to and from school.I am told that the results of Gambian students in public exams is very poor.
I'm not surprised. Is the Minister of Education aware of the problems the students are experiencing. My sympathy lies with students. Wake up fellow Gambians, the students of today are the leaders of tomorrow...
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 17 Dec 2007 : 10:26:16
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eire, i am glad you visited Gambia, it is a wake up call for many gambian returning after a long stay away.
you would think the pupils would value being in school, because i know a lot of families have sacrificed a lot to send them there. it is the attutude of a spoilt society that tolerates this. When you see them playing truant ask yourself why , what is going on at home.
punishment is not the answer, flogging a child for not going to school will not help if the mental attitude is somewhere else. St Ausgusting is very strict, but if they do not value education.
Me personally i would let them leave and look after the students who make the effort to attend. teachers should not be chasing truants.
as for the transport situation that is down to the government to arrange school buses, bikes or more buses in general. |
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eire
Zimbabwe
28 Posts |
Posted - 21 Dec 2007 : 18:30:41
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| Jambo, school discipline does not necessarily involve flogging or the use of the cane as in the old days etc. Other sanctions are more commonly used nowadays. But where ever corporal punishment is used it is a very definite deterrent to poor behavior. Students must be held accountable for their actions. I do not necessarily agree with you either when you state that they should be left to their own devices and continue to play truant from school. Family support and motivation is important as families make many sacrifices to send their children to school. Correct Mental attitude must be encouraged and fostered. They must value the opportunity they have been given to go to school and learn.I thoroughly agree with you that we are dealing with a 'spoilt society' today. I am sure that the majority of students in Gambian schools are highly motivated anyway. If the school provided good teachers, books, atmosphere to learn the students will resspond positively and standards will improve. |
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eire
Zimbabwe
28 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2008 : 23:46:37
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| I was a student in both St. Augustines H.S and Gambia H.s School for my A levels. The difference between the two schools was organization and discipline. SAHS was way ahead in both mainly because we were lucky to have the 'legend' himself Fr. Gough as our principal. We rarely saw the Principal of GHS as he was usually sick we were told.. He was from England... Fr. Gough was a huge motivating factor at SAHS as he strove to make SAHS the best High School in the country....His motto was summed up in the school song 'at books and play we win our way'.We were also lucky to have such good Gambian teachers in Elizabeth Renner,Sam Njie Goree Njie, Henry Jammeh as well as some excellent overseas teachers. It was sad to see the subsequent decline of our beloved Alama Mater. One of the reasons I believe has been the lack of discipline in the school. What a loss Fr. Gough was to SAHS and to educationin Gambia. |
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kayjatta
2978 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2008 : 02:34:59
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Thanks Eire, I entered Saints as a student, obviously after both you and Father Guff left. I also taught there for several years before leaving the country.
This situation you are talking about was a problem during my student and teaching days. The Fula shop just about opposite the school was the famous hang around for the students usually during recess (break) but also during classes. We did our best to discourage this situation, sometimes by even roll calling (the class register) before the start of each lesson just to make sure who is in and who is out. Also at some point Father Jarju, if you know him, used to patrol that area and these students will run when they see him coming sometimes at the risk of running over by cars plying that (Box Bar Rd, I do not remember the new name) road.
I agree that the home (parents), individual student attitude, and the school adminstration have to work together to solve this problem. Thanks for bringing it up... |
Edited by - kayjatta on 24 Feb 2008 04:15:21 |
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