Education Minister Louds Former LK School Headmaster

Photo: Ms Cole and Ms. Herriette. (Photo Credit Kebba Ansu Manneh)

By Ousman A Marong

Gambia’s Education Minister, Claudiana Cole, has lauded former Headmaster of Latrikunda Sabiji Upper Basic School (LSUBS), Alhagi Landing Boto Jatta alias L.B.J for his strong stance in the country’s educational sector.

“As I sat here I was thinking what would have happened to all these wonderful gentlemen here, if Master Jatta never had the vision of establishing a school in this Latrikunda Community. This is what I kept thinking otherwise all these potentials would have been lost. Lost in a sense, perhaps the nearest school would have been far from the community where parents wouldn’t even have bothered to enroll their children in those far schools. Perhaps, the children themselves would not have been inclined to want to go to school because of the distance,” said Minister Cole.

According to the country’s education Minister without Master Jatta initiating the school students in Latrikunda Sabiji would have to trek every-day to-and-fro to go to school.

She made these remarks during the inauguration ceremony of the laying of the foundation stone of the new 25 Classroom blocks in Latrikunda Sabiji School.

The MRC Holland Foundation Gambia is supporting the project with 25 Classroom blocks, 25 new Toilets, Renovation of 36 Classroom blocks for the L/K Sabiji Lower, Upper and Annex Basic School.

Photo: Ms. Cole and the students of L/B Sabji School.

The Multi-million dalasi project is geared towards supporting the school to renovate its entire blocks. It would feature a new building for the Senior Secondary school in order to complement the Government.

Ms. Herriette Brummer Sonko, a representative of MRC Holland Foundation Gambia, challenged the government to focus more on the rural areas arguing that over seven thousand (7000) students going to L/K Lower and Upper Basic School are from rural areas.

“I would have loved to provide them all schools in the villages so that they can stay there with their parents and not necessarily taken to the urban areas to stay with their aunts and far relatives creating an urban blockage in the system,” said Herriette Brummer Sonko.

She said whenever she steps her foot in the urban areas and visited their schools she always feels stressed and concern.

“I wouldn’t even know where to start because the task is mighty. In a lot of cases if you look at the schools you wonder where is the community because you see crimes, problems, filter places which are not looked after, etc. You wonder how is it possible that students come to this school to have their lessons,” she quired.

Saidou Jallow, The principal of Latrikunda Sabiji School hailed MRC Holland Foundation Gambia Project in their benevolent support to the school.

“This is the happiest moment of my life. We have been struggling to deliver quality education to the children that are under our responsibility. This school has one of the biggest catchment areas in this region. As I speak now we have over seven thousand students within this campus,” he stated.

He said the overcrowding of students in L/K School would soon be a thing of the past if the new classroom buildings are completed.