By Lamin B. Darboe
Information Officer, MoBSE
The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) in partnership with the officials from The Gambia Teachers Union and a representative from the Conference of Principals of senior secondary schools explained the reasons behind the closured of schools among other issues.
The message was related to the public during the live panel program at QTV on Thursday where MoBSE was represented at the panel by the DPS Administration, Adama Jimba Jobe while Essa Sowe represented GTU and Lamin K. Marong Conference of Principals. The discussion was moderated by Ade Daramy.
DPS Jobe explained that Government closed schools not for the sake of closing but Government took the decision for some reasons which is to make sure that students, teachers and school managers are safe from deadly Coronavirus pandemic.
This means he went on; parents have a big role to play by supporting MoBSE and partners to make sure children stay at home to listen to the radios or watch TVs in order to learn their lessons so as to regain the lost school contact hours.
Jobe advised parents in the country to monitor their children but they should equally engage them to do something at home in order to deter them playing in the streets.
“It will be of no use if MoBSE bring lessons at home through media for children to learn and they are not at home to listen to the radios or watch TVs,” Jobe said.
Deputy Secretary General of GTU, Essa Sowe explained that when President, Adama Barrow announced the closured of schools, MoBSE conducted series of meetings with its stakeholders.
According to Sowe, the meetings were based on three main objectives namely, to make sure schools are safe, to ensure that children are at home to learn their lessons through various media platforms and to ensure that relevant and time is share.
The engagements he added are in three levels; coordinating, technical and development partner forum adding that MoBSE will commence distance learning approach by today Monday.
“Difference media platforms will be use to conduct lessons and let me inform our viewers that “Science and Technology Directorates” under MoBSE are developing some curriculum materials that would be relate to the children through various mediums while children are at home,” Sowe explained.