By: Dawda Baldeh
At the commencement of the 2024 Meet the People’s Tour, Fatou Bah, a resident of Kerr Ardo and a local councilor, urged President Adama Barrow to equip the already built schools with chairs. Ms. Bah made these remarks during a joint meeting in Jokadou, where she also praised President Barrow for the development in her community while reminding him of the existing challenges that still need to be addressed.
“We have schools, but there are no chairs for our students. I am calling on the President to equip the schools with furniture. Our children don’t have places to sit and learn,” she said. Fatou also advocated for more empowerment of women and youth, emphasizing, “We have seen your support for women, but we want more.”
She further acknowledged the development in the North Bank Region under the leadership of President Adama Barrow: “Before, there was no electricity and no roads, but now things are changing gradually,” she added.
After hearing the concerns raised by residents, President Barrow took the podium to address the gathering and also outlined his government’s achievements in the education sector over the years.
On Skills Development:
Barrow shared that his government has constructed several TVET centers across the country: “Right now, five hundred and sixty-one (561) students are enrolled with full government scholarships. At the University of The Gambia (UTG), 2,387 students are under government scholarships. Even developed countries like America and England cannot do such; they give students loans, and when they start working, they deduct it from their salaries.”
On Schools Built under Jawara and Jammeh:
“President Dawda Jawara and Yahya Jammeh built only ten thousand and one (10,001) classrooms across the country in 52 years. From 2017 to date, I have built four thousand five hundred (4,500) classrooms, and I have maintained two thousand five hundred (2,500) classrooms. And in 2024 alone, we have built seven hundred (700) classrooms. On average, it’s like we are constructing ten classrooms per week,” Barrow explained.
Barrow also reassured the residents of his government’s commitment to responding to the needs of citizens.
