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Momodou
Denmark
11832 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Apr 2008 : 18:25:21
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EFAnet Celebrates Global Week Of Action
By Madi S. Njie
The quality of education in the Gambia continues to generate debate in the society. Information gathered by Foroyaa revealed that the quality of education in the country has been marked “Red”, representing low literacy rate of 38 percent of the total population of 1.5 million ( as indicated in the 2005 census of the Gambia national population).
According to information from the Education for all Campaign Network (EFANET), the overall quality of education in the Gambia is poor and that recent results show that 80 percent of students failed in all the core-subjects, except in the science subjects.
This disclosure was made during the Global Week of Action Celebration, held in Foni Bwiam. According to the information, girls consistently perform worst than boys. In addition to the 72 percent of the national illiteracy rate, the EFANET records show that only 16 percent of the National Budget is allocated to education as opposed to the regional average of 20 percent required in the budgetary allocation. “The Gambia’s education budget is donor driven; the burden of the costs of education falls disproportionately on poor household,”
The Action Aid- the Gambia sponsored leaflet challenged that finance gaps should be closed and the spending made should be in line with allocations and targeted on real educational outcomes.
On access to basic education, the leaflet further states that top level efforts to increase enrollment in schools have been made, but retention remains a big challenge, adding that thousands of children are still out of school. The EFANET information leaflet blamed poverty and religious beliefs as major contributing factors to this phenomenon. Teenage pregnancy and early marriage contribute to the low completion rates.
On the area of political commitments, it is mentioned that “free and compulsory education is enshrined in the Constitution. An Education for All Action plan has been developed, costed and approved as a Fast Track ( F T I) Country Initiative.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issues
Issue No. 48/2008, 25 – 27 April 2008
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