Basic and Secondary Education, has said that Gambians children can enroll from early childhood education (ECD) to Grade 12 without payment of school fees at all public schools in the country.
Claudiana Cole made this disclosure at a confab held at the Kanifing Municipality Council’s Chambers centering on peace and peaceful coexistence.
I am making this statement because personally sometimes I will be watching the television and see our women complaining but I want to reaffirm that there is no payment of school fees in all government schools throughout the country.
“If anyone of you goes to public schools and you are ask to pay school fees please go straight to the ministry and report the matter. Please go and report such matters at the ministry because there is no payment of school fees in all government schools,” Minister Cole emphasized
She further pointed out that government is not only stopping at payment of school fees for pupils and students enrolled at public schools but also in some mission schools, revealing that government is also equally providing free textbooks to both pupils and students from grade 1 to grade 12 throughout the country.
Minister Cole further stated that Gambian government is also paying two thousand dalasi (D2000) for every student enrolled at Grade 10 in all public schools, saying that the monies are paid into the accounts of the schools towards the cost of the textbooks supplied to the students.
She also disclosed that Gambia Government is paying one hundred dalasi (D100) for every pupil enrolled at the Lower Basic Schools, and there is no more developmental levy payment by pupils at all government schools throughout the country.
Minister Cole, stated that Gambian government continue to priorities education as an engine for economic growth and development, pointing that this is what compels government to build more classrooms as well as renovate more classrooms throughout the country.
“From 2017 to date Gambian government has built two thousand four hundred and eight (2408) classrooms and renovated one thousand four hundred and forty six (1446) classrooms across the country. Government also dug one hundred and forty eight (148) boreholes and electrifies sixty two (62) schools throughout the country,” she disclosed.
Minister Cole also called on Gambian youths to take the opportunities available for skills development bankrolled by the government, saying that government is equally investing a lot of resources in the technical and vocational training all geared towards creating a conducive environment for youths of this country.
