By Binta Jaiteh
The Gambia National Assembly members have advised the government to introduce effective information communication program in schools across the country and to also massively invest in it.
Member of Parliament representing Latrikundsa Sabiji, Honorable Saikou Marrong said: “In the absence of Information communication technology (ICT) program (in our schools) we will continue to have problem. In the Gambia most of us start learning ICT when we completed grade 9 and 12 or perhaps when we failed our exams.”
“That is not enough if they (students) want to learn ICT as a program, it has to start from lower basic schools so that by the time they reach upper basic schools they will be able to know what ICT is all about,” he added.
According to him, all what students learned from lower to upper basic schools is about a component of a computer, which is very sad. To make them get serious about it, he said there is need to invest in it.
To also make a different, he said there is need to change the mind-set of Gambia people toward ICT.
Honorable Billay G. Tunkara, member parliament representing Kantora alluded to the earlier speaker. He said he is with believed that when ICT is utilized it will not only create effective service delivery, but it will serve as a booster in revenue generation for the Ministry and government at large.”
He said many countries have advanced in terms of ICT and it is boosting their economy while providing extra security for their citizen. “I’m with the conviction that when ICT is embraced it can contribute to reduce the crime rate in our country. It is not a magic,” he said,