Gambia: Education Ministry admits Challenge in Quality Education
As New Peace Crops Education Volunteers swore in – By Sainey M.K. Marenah – The Ministry of Basic Education has admit challenges in realization of quality but not insurmountable on Friday during the swearing in ceremony of 13 united states Education peace corps volunteers who are set boast the education sector during their two year stint in the Gambia.
The Education minister in her keynote address to the new education volunteer, said the realization of quality education remains a daunting challenge but not insurmountable. Hence, the fielding of these volunteers into the education sector will contribute immensely to the current efforts of improving the learning outcomes our children, particularly in the early graders.
The Peace Corps, according to officials, was created to promote world peace and friendship by helping the people of interested countries in meeting their needs for trained men and women, and to help promote better understanding of America to the people they serve.
Peace Corps officials also said that over 3,500 peace volunteers have served in the Gambia since the program was established in 1966 and the Peace Corps currently serving the Gambia has a total of 94 volunteers serving in health; education; environment/agriculture in communities throughout the Gambia.
Minister Fatou Lamin Faye, basic and Secondary Education Minister at represented at the Ceremony by his deputy Permanent Secretary Ebrima Ceesay who further told the gathering that US government through the peace corps has support the Gambia socio economic development initiatives through the idea of Peace crops volunteerism which the Gambia has benefited tremendously since 1967.
“The partnership built over the years has grow from strength to strength, the benefit of which is traced to the fact that almost every Gambia teacher has benefited from series of interface with Peace Corps volunteers.” She said.
Minister Faye is of the belief that all the intervention will in no small measure add to our education sector that has already made great strides in the area of access to basic and secondary education across the six educational regions.
Cindy Cregg Charge d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Banjul who presided over the ceremony and administer the oath welcome the volunteers to the start of two rewarding year while assuring the volunteers that when they leave here in next two years they will be so proud of what they have accomplish and what you of been capable from now on.”
“Once you are done here life would be easy.” Advice the deputy Chief of mission, adding: “ you will have new perceptive of the world; and new belief in yourself; you are going man on man; one and one; head to head to change the world and your work will contribute directly to Gambia and Gambians.”
Senior US Diplomat told her fellow country men and women that: “the peace corps may give you the language skills; they may give the resources; but you are change agents; you are responsible to set that change; you are here to wage peace; you like to fight for education; teach people how to raise their concerns; you teach people how to take proactive steps to determine their own future;”
“Your work will contribute directly to the economic sustainability, education and the future of The Gambia.”
The acting head of the US mission in The Gambia urged the volunteers to remember three things: absorb the new culture, live within it, but never forget who you are, your culture, your beliefs, your principles are what brought you here and what will take you home. Stay true to yourself, don’t lose yourself,” she advised.
She reminds them that it because of their high sense of volunteerism that they are here in the Gambia to serve while urging them to promote those principles.
She also told them to be open to new ideas and to the road they are taking. “Be open to how things will play out. You may not understand right now why you were assigned to a certain village in West Africa, when you planned to be in a beach in Costa Rica. This is not Costa Rica but you are here for a reason and time will tell.” declared the charge d’affairs.
The country director of Peace Corps Banjul Office, Jeffrey Cornish, commended the Gambia government for its continued support to the Peace Corps volunteers, and the valuable work the volunteers do in The Gambia.
“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Peace Corps by our dynamic President John F. Kennedy. We have served 44 of those years in The Gambia, and that in itself is an impressive achievement, an achievement possible only with the support of the Gambia government,” Cornish remarked.
According to him, the role of Peace Corps volunteers in the development of The Gambia is to help Gambians improved their lives in a way that they themselves determine to be important, and in ways they themselves can sustain.
Meanwhile, the US Peace Corp currently has a total of 103 volunteers serving in the heath, environment/agriculture and education sectors in communities throughout The Gambia.
“Peace Corps’ mission in The Gambia is to have a trained corps of American volunteers working in partnership with the people of The Gambia to enhance individual skills, foster cross- cultural understanding, and promote lasting peace.” he stated.
He said Peace Corps’ mission in The Gambia is to help train corps of American volunteers working in partnership with Gambians to enhance individual skills, foster cross-cultural understanding, and promote lasting peace.
However, he told the newly-sworn volunteers that “this idea of supporting self-determination and self sustaining practices is fundamental to the Peace Corps approach to assistance.”
He reaffirmed the Peace Corps resolve in helping to improve the lives of Gambians.
