By Istaou Jatta

The Gambia Government has taken steps over the past decade to provide free education for all public schools. With support from the World Bank, the initiative gave birth to the banning of all forms of levies in public and subvented schools.

While the effort leads to a significant increase in enrollment, a question still lingers over the quality of such services. This is confirmed in the 2018 Education Summary Report 2019, which reiterates the challenges being faced in improving student performance in public schools.

Evolution of Gross Enrollment Rates by Educational Level 2015- 2019

By contrast, the private schools performed better than the public schools in the National Assessment Test during the same period.

Experts, teachers and school administrators interviewed said the underperformance of students in public schools may be attributed to delayed payment or the insufficiency of the school improvement grant.

Late and insufficient

The SIG is an eleven-year World Bank-funded initiative that gives missionaries and public schools extra resources to improve education. The payment to schools is determined by their enrollment. The fund provides D100 for a student at the Lower Basic School, and D150 for those in ‘designated hardship areas’.

It pays D575 for students in Upper Basic Schools, which increases to D675 for ‘designated hardship areas’. The highest, D1440, is paid for each student sitting GABECE while D29 is paid towards the printing of results at the level of the school.

“The SIG doesn’t come early, sometimes it comes very late. Sometimes, we would go up to the time we are to write the exam but there is no money because SIG has not been paid,” said Musa Bah, the principal of Mbulumbu Senior Secondary School, in the North Bank Region. According to Louis Moses Mendy, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, the delay doesn’t come from their ministry.

“We don’t have control over when finance releases the money which is not only for MoBSE but generally for all the sectors,” said Mendy.

Components of SIG expenditure

A good number of issues with the payment going to finance are critical to learning. For example, the excursion of students, purchase of teaching and learning materials and payment of some auxiliary staff (Source:  Guidelines on the use of SIG for Senior Secondary Schools)

But even where it is paid, there are still concerns over its insufficiency. “… Whatever they used to determine D100 (for each student at Lower Basic School) eleven years ago is not realistic today,” argued Essa Sowe, the secretary general of the teachers’ union. “This means that what a D100 could do some eleven years ago, it cannot do now.”

Sowe believes the poor performance of students can be attributed to the late payment SIG, though the amount itself is insufficient to cater for the educational needs of the students.

“It is obvious that when the materials are not available we will not have effective teaching and learning,” said Sowe.

When teachers had “enough”

The final month of the first term of the school year nearly ended. The teachers from grant-aided did not receive their salaries and the first term of the School Improvement Grant for the mission was not paid. But this time, the teachers’ union has had enough.

On December 2nd, the Union commenced a sit-down strike which ended shortly after the government paid the SIG. In a statement, the Union said the delay in the payment of SIG has caused “significant distress and financial hardship” for its members.

 Before the payment was effected, at least one day of class was disrupted by the strike.

“… There are certain things that are taught in the classroom that require excursion for students to properly understand. This is funded by the SIG,” said Essa Sowe, the deputy secretary general of the Union.

Ends

Editor’s note: This story has been produced under Freedom House (Promotion of Right to Justice) Investigative Journalism Fellowship 2024. However, the story has been independently produced in accordance with the ethics of journalism.   

By Hadram Hydara

Ahead of the ECOWAS Heads of State meeting on December 15, the Alliance of Victim-Led Organisations in The Gambia (AVLO), alongside victims, local and international civil society organizations, and concerned citizens, have petitioned ECOWAS to support the establishment of a Special Tribunal for The Gambia to ensure justice and accountability for human rights violations occurring from July 1994 to January 2017, as documented by the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC).

The petition, signed by over 300 individuals from 22 countries, has been handed to The Gambia’s Ministers of Foreign and Defence to present to the ECOWAS authorities.

“As individuals are unable to speak directly during these statutory meetings, the final letter (attached), received over 300 signatories from 22 countries and has been entrusted to The Gambia’s Ministers of Foreign and Defense, Honourables Tangara and Njie respectively on Wednesday, 4th December 2024, to carry it forward to their counterparts and, ultimately, to the ECOWAS Authorities of Heads of State for their consideration,” AVLO said in a letter addressed to regional bloc ECOWAS.

The proposed tribunal aims to ensure justice and accountability for human rights violations in The Gambia from July 1994 to January 2017, as documented by the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC).

The petitioners argue that ECOWAS has a legal and moral obligation to assist in prosecuting those responsible for crimes such as extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and torture.

“We, the undersigned victims, victim associations, civil society organisations in the ECOWAS block, local, and international partners, and concerned citizens of the world write to respectfully urge you to endorse and actively support the establishment of the Special Tribunal for The Gambia, as proposed by the Government of The Gambia and recently deferred by the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council. This Tribunal is critical to ensuring justice and accountability for the serious human rights violations and crimes that occurred in The Gambia between July 1994 and January 2017,” the petitioners noted in their letter.

The establishment of the Special Tribunal, alongside The Gambia’s Special Prosecutor’s Office and the Special Criminal Division of the High Court, would facilitate the investigation and prosecution of international crimes, providing closure for victims and their families.

The petition emphasizes that ECOWAS’s support would demonstrate a firm stance against impunity and promote human rights and the rule of law in the region.

By Michaella Faith Wright

Omar Touray, President of the General Tipper Truck Drivers Association, has emphasized the significant challenges faced by sand miners in The Gambia, such as high sand costs and restricted access to legal quarries, yet the association remains committed to effectively supporting its members despite these difficulties.

Speaking exclusively to The Fatu Network, Touray revealed that the scarcity of legal quarries in the country has significantly driven up the cost of sand. “We don’t have enough quarries where we can buy sand legally, and this affects our operations. However, we have been able to manage and survive as an organization despite these challenges,” he stated.

Touray emphasized the importance of the association’s internal rules and regulations in maintaining stability. “Every driver must purchase a ticket for D150 before operating. This system ensures that we have funds to address emergencies, such as medical needs, without placing additional financial burdens on our members,” he explained.

Looking ahead to the 2026 elections, Touray urged young people in The Gambia to make informed decisions when choosing leaders. “I want all youth to choose wisely and understand what they want for the benefit of the country,” he said.

The General Tipper Truck Drivers Association remains committed to supporting its members and navigating the challenges within the sand mining sector.

By: Alieu Jallow

Action Aid The Gambia, on Wednesday, 4th December 2024, commenced a crucial technical advisory meeting, bringing together local stakeholders in the North Bank Region. This initiative aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the management of public resources, a critical component for fostering trust and good governance within the community.

The meeting, held at the Governor’s Office in the North Bank, gathered various representatives, including government officials, civil society organizations, and community leaders. The discussions focused on identifying challenges in public resource management and exploring innovative solutions to promote greater accountability.

Saikou Darboe, Local Rights Program Manager for the Lower Region, highlighted that the sole objective of this meeting is to bridge the gap between the right holders and the duty bearers who manage public funds. According to him, this initiative will serve as a catalyst for fostering accountability.

“What we aim to achieve, basically, at the end of this two-day program, is to ensure that the gaps are bridged between the right holders and the duty bearers. This will also serve as a catalyst to encourage accountability and transparency, which is key. If you know that you are going to be asked by your master, you do the right thing. But if you are accountable, you do it without being asked by anyone, and nobody needs to account. These are accountability mechanisms that encourage us to fund this meeting,” he outlined.

On his part, the Governor of the North Bank Region, Lamin Saidykhan, urged participants to recommit to the principles of accountability, transparency, and collaboration. He noted that only sincere partnerships among stakeholders can yield sustainable development. He also commended Action Aid, through their LRP 9 office, for their laudable initiatives in advancing good governance and institutional effectiveness in the region. He called on participants to remain steadfast in their shared purpose to serve their communities with diligence and integrity.

“As we move forward, let us remain steadfast in our shared purpose to serve our communities with diligence and integrity. Today, we can continue to make the North Bank Region a model of cooperation, innovation, and development,” he stated.

Mam Samba Joof, Executive Director of the Agency for Development of Women and Children, expressed hope to learn about the intervention areas of other stakeholders. Joof expressed dismay over the absence of such meetings in the past decade, citing how such meetings could address overlapping efforts and interventions.

“We should be able to come together as a region to share information about what we are doing to mobilize resources, but also to coordinate our activities. Sometimes, even if you look at some of the reports, we are overlapping in some areas because maybe I am not aware of X doing the same thing in the community I’m going to intervene in. But probably, if there were proper coordination, I would take my activity to another community that needs it,” he stated.

The agenda for the meeting included presentations on best practices in resource management, aimed at gathering input from all sectors of society to develop actionable strategies that can be implemented at both local and national levels.

This meeting is part of a broader initiative by Action Aid The Gambia to strengthen democratic governance and improve service delivery in the country by enhancing transparency and accountability.

By: The Fatu Network Editorial

Chief Magistrate Pa Modou Njie of the Bundung Magistrates Court has been arrested and interdicted by the Gambian Judiciary, reportedly in connection with illicit drugs, including cocaine, linked to a court matter.

Magistrate Njie was served his interdiction letter at Kairaba Police Station earlier this week, where he remains detained and is assisting police investigations.

More on this report on The Fatu Network soon!

By: Alieu Jallow

The Government of Gambia’s decision to implement a new excise tax on imported cement has led to a significant halt in cement imports. The decision raises concerns about the potential impact on ongoing and planned construction projects across the country, sending shockwaves among importers.

In the early months of April and May, the Cement Importers Association of The Gambia decried the new tariff, prompting many of their trucks to be stranded at the Gambia-Senegal border following the government’s decision to enforce the payment of D180 per bag, up from D30 per bag. According to the Cement Importers Association, this policy has disproportionately impacted smaller importers and appears to be designed to benefit a single company, Jah Oil, which, according to them, continues to leverage its close ties with the government for its self-interest at the expense of Gambian consumers.

However, during a technical advisory meeting organized by ActionAid The Gambia in Kerewan, customs officer Ousainou Charreh, head of operations at the Farafenni customs post, emphasized that the duty on cement had not increased.

“The duty for cement has not increased. Nevertheless, a new excise tax of D3 per kilo was introduced, significantly raising the total tax from D30 to D180 per bag. This policy has effectively halted cement imports,” he outlined.

Additionally, many perceive this policy as a way to ban the importation of cement into the country. In light of this, Charreh stressed that cement is not banned; rather, he noted the hesitancy among cement importers to continue importing cement due to the new excise tax.

“Though cement is not banned, the introduction of a D3 per kilo excise tax has significantly impacted the importation of cement,” Charreh stated.

Charreh took the opportunity to encourage any importer capable of paying the required duty to continue importing cement.