By: Alieu Jallow
Graduates from Gambia College have expressed growing frustration over the lack of employment opportunities with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE), despite having completed their studies in education-related fields. The graduates, many of whom are from the School of Education, claim they have been left in limbo as the ministry struggles to address the issue.
Speaking to The Fatu Network, Ensa Badjie, a recent graduate who pursued an advanced diploma in secondary education at the Gambia College School of Education with a major in Agricultural Science and Core Science, outlined that upon completion three months ago, he submitted an employment form to the ministry through its regional office in Brikama. However, it was subsequently rejected, citing that the regional office had not received instructions from the ministry to that effect. Mr. Badjie appealed to the ministry and the Personnel Management Office (PMO) to consider their plight.
“My message to the ministry, the Personnel Management Office (PMO), and the government is to consider the poor parents’ children who are paying their taxes, putting in, and sacrificing everything they have to see their kids through school. It is said that every child has the right to education, but what’s the essence of education without employment? This unemployment causes frustration, stress, and self-trauma, which the future contributors to this country are facing,” he appealed.
Essa Jallow, another graduate with an Advanced Diploma in Education, who completed his studies in July 2024, said that since his completion, he has faced one of the most discouraging and frustrating experiences of his life—being left unemployed by the Ministry of Education.
“As someone who dedicated time, resources, and effort to earn an Advanced Diploma in Education, I feel abandoned and neglected by the very institution responsible for supporting and employing qualified individuals like me. The ministry’s failure to provide employment opportunities has left me deeply disappointed and disheartened. After enduring financial and personal struggles as a self-sponsored student, I expected recognition of my hard work and a pathway to serve my country. Instead, I have been met with silence and inaction, which has made me question the value placed on education and the sacrifices we, as graduates, make to better ourselves and our communities.”
The Personnel Management Office, which oversees staffing in government institutions, has reportedly placed a freeze on hiring across various sectors due to budgetary constraints and efforts to streamline public sector employment.
In an exclusive interview, Adama Jimba Jobe, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Programs at MoBSE, acknowledged the concerns raised by the graduates but cited a moratorium imposed by the Personnel Management Office (PMO) as the primary challenge. The moratorium, according to MoBSE, has limited their ability to recruit new staff, including teachers.
“As a ministry, we are working to address that. Sooner or later, until PMO lifts the moratorium, we cannot make appointments because we have gaps in our schools. We will go ahead once the moratorium is lifted. Otherwise, please give us time to ensure that we work through these issues. It’s related to data, and for the data to be accurate, it’s not something that can be done overnight. You have many individuals who may have left the system or gone through informal channels, and it takes time to get those reports. The process starts from the school level, moves to the cluster, then the region, and finally to the headquarters. You can’t just suspend someone’s salary or put it on hold without verification. These verifications take time. I agree that if you have a vibrant, up-to-date system in terms of data handling, it shouldn’t take that long. However, there are other challenges that are bigger than what we might only be considering.”
Mr. Jobe seized the opportunity to appeal to these young people for patience.
“I know it’s difficult and unfortunate, but it has to be a gradual process. People must also keep in mind that it’s no longer business as usual, where immediately after graduating from a college or university, one should get a job right away.”
These young graduates are calling on the government to find a sustainable solution to the recruitment challenges, as most of them are currently unemployed, making life increasingly unbearable with growing demands.
