By Mama A. Touray
The Minister of Information Dr. Ismaila Ceesay Wednesday briefed the media on key ministry intervention areas at a press conference at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center.
Ceesay relayed details from the Ministry of Youths and Sports’ press release, stating, “The Ministry of Youths and Sports has approved D12 million as a contribution to the Gambia Football Federation for the national teams’ upcoming AFCON 2025 qualification against Madagascar”.
He mentioned that the approved D12 million will cover flight tickets, accommodation, and match bonuses for games scheduled on the 11th and 14th of October 2024, which will take place in Morocco.
The information minister also provided an update that the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education is set to distribute textbooks to senior secondary students across the country. He added that the textbooks, authored by Gambian writers, aim to reflect the local context and enhance the quality of education in the Gambia.
“The initiative is part of the government’s commitment to improve education service delivery and for the first time in history, we have books that are written by Gambians reflecting our history, geographic, social norms, tradition and our culture,” he said.
Ceesay informed the media that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has successfully evacuated all Gambians residing in Lebanon due to the escalating situation in that region. Additionally, he mentioned that the office of the First Lady has granted scholarships to the top ten female students of the 2024 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination.
The ceremony, which took place at the state house, was held to honour the academic achievements of these exceptional young female students and to promote excellence among young girls in the Gambia.
