Gambia: On MoHERST closure of two higher learning institutes

The Ministry of Higher Education Research, Science and Technology (MoHERST) has firmed up its message that two higher learning institutions, International Business College and Batokunku Nursing Attendant Programme, are still on their closure list. This reminder is significant for three reasons: it would send a signal to the culprit institutions that they are still on the radar of MoHERST, that the Ministry is determined with cast-iron commitment to deliver quality education to students in the country and, thirdly, it is also a reminder that the ministry would dish out devastatingly similar punishment to any learning institutions that dares not to follow set standards.

All these messages of intent are important. Because what we must not let happen is short-changing the future of Gambian students by bogus higher learning institutions, driven by profit rather than quality education delivery. As a country, in the area of education, we have registered tremendous progress: when the story of past generation was that of education for the rich and privileged few, the Jammeh government has turned that tide, helping to build more schools, train more teachers and educating thousands of Gambians.

Most transformative of all, The University is established, training a teaming number of Gambians in medicine, economics, development planning, law, linguistics, management, accountancy and social sciences. As far as achievements go, this is as good as it gets. Needless to say, social mobility, the means through which someone born into poverty can climb up the social ladder to become better off financially, is best achieved through education. And the Jammeh administration ticked every box of success under that score.

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To their credit, MoHERST and the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education have been good busters of sleaze education institutions. Previously both have closed some learning institutions not fit for purpose. They can help the President’s aim of making our country a citadel of knowledge by coming up with far-reaching reforms.

Firstly, and more significantly, a permanent office of inspectorate should be set-up to rate learning institutions. Measuring the license-issued missions of schools on up-to-date curriculums, decent classroom size, experienced and qualified lecturers/teachers; the Education Ministries can put them into a category of outstanding, excellent, good or under-performing – depending on findings of the inspectorate office. This can help in quick, good recommendation for coasting schools on how to up the game of standards.

When we have that right, and all the political will is there for us to have it right considering the President’s record investment in education, we would have the ultimate outcome that education brings: creativity, innovation, strong character, grit, and nous in our graduating students, with a big, bold, positive value-based vision. For Ministries that have the seal of approval of the President for good leadership, it can be done. Now let us strain every sinew in our education tool-box to make it happen. As we thank MoHERST for being enema of constipated bogus money-gulping institutions, we duff off our hat to the government for its record achievements in education