By: Nicholas Bass
A veteran educationist (name withheld) has called on the finance minister to prioritize the payment of Schools’ Improvement Grants (SIGs) for a better future in the Gambia’s education sector.
The veteran educationist recalled that SIGs had been formalized 16 years ago, stressing that it was stagnant since then despite the change in the price of educational materials.
Our interlocutor said the World Bank funded the SIGs for about 10 years, adding that the onus now lies on the government to sustain it.
”The World Bank at that time advised the Gambia government to introduce the SIGs into the national budget but the Minister of Finance failed to pay SIGs on time. If the SIGs are not paid, what happens in running the schools?” stated the long-time educationist.
The educationist informed this reporter that it came to thenotice of the Gambia government that the households werespending too much money in financing the education of their children, stating that about 40% of the parents were affected, claiming that it was what compelled the Gambia government to slam a ban on the payment of fees and levies in public schools and Madrasas.
