By: Sandally Sawo
The Minister of Tourism and Culture, Hamat Bah, has opined that the educational systems in Africa and Asia are the fodder for the irregular migration of youths to Europe.
“The educational systems of Africa and Asia are responsible for Backway, in my opinion. At the time of independence, we did not have a curriculum or syllabus for national development,” the tourism minister contended as he addressed a mass meeting in Farafenni on Tuesday.
Minister Bah is among the Cabinet ministers, who are accompanying the Gambian leader, on his 2023 Meet-The-People tour.
To Bah, the death at sea of African and Asian youths was the consequence of a “bad educational system.”
“The time has come for governments in Africa and Asia to revisit their educational policies,” he underlined.
The tourism and culture minister said it’s “gravely” concerning to the Gambia government to see the youths die at sea.
“There is something that makes us gravely concerned. Backway is now worse than COVID in The Gambia. Our youths, on whom we pin our hopes to inherit this country, are dying at sea. Youths from Africa and Asia are the ones dying at sea and people are watching on. This is pathetic. When you go home, everyone should think about how our youths are dying at sea,” Bah stated. He added: “Some days when you think about it, you may not be able to eat. You gave birth to a child, brought him up, and did everything for him and you wake up one and cannot see him only to learn that he is dead. That’s sorrowful. Barrow had made a commitment to create 150,000 jobs for the youths of The Gambia to stop this Backway syndrome.”
Minister Bah explained that the Gambian leader had signed an agreement with the Saudi authorities to enable Gambians to work in the Kingdom.
