In Solidarity With Teachers For Change (Task Force)

Teachers at the press confrence

I write in solidarity with the teachers for change as per their request for a better education sector. Our teachers were the educators who give us knowledge of the world around us and changes it into something for a better society we all want to live in. Still advances us a viewpoint of looking at life and helps us build opinions and have points of view on things in life and the surrounding.

The last time I checked education is widely regarded as essential to economic growth, national development and overall prosperity. In The Gambia, education is valued very highly and theoretically given a high priority. Strangely enough, however, the teachers responsible for educating Gambia's children are not valued that highly as expected compared to other jobs. Considering the rapid increase in goods and services, you would think that teachers would be among the highest paid professionals. Yet teachers are compensated unreasonably to their advanced education levels and are disrespected by many people.

If the salary for teachers were higher, then more people would want to join the profession. With more competition for teaching, the best people would be the ones who are ultimately to be hired. With better teachers at schools, more students would hopefully connect with what they are learning and want to go on to a higher education. With more education, graduates from the University of The Gambia would be better prepared to go out as far beyond Bollibanna.

I remember when my teacher once asked me what I want to be in the future. I replied Teacher, he shouted at me "not to pray for that". And informed me that teachers are the least paid in which they struggle with their salaries to make a leaving as they normally rely on bank overdraft. After a lot of thought, it's obvious to me that my education would be much better if my teachers felt valued. It seems as though many teachers are asked to do more every year for the same salary or sometimes with a pay cut.

Many teachers have not been noiseless about their reasons for abandoning the profession, low morale and low pay. Yet the state’s response has not been enough to end the ongoing crisis of teachers in schools. The job of recruiting and retaining qualified teachers especially in the rural areas becomes more difficult without wiggle room for bonuses and high pay.

Motivated teachers can lead to increased productivity and allow a school to achieve higher levels of output. It is high time for the Barrow led administration to consider the demands of the teachers. Since the majority of teachers quit the teaching field unwilling because of the harsh and stressful conditions.

Saidina Alieu Jarjou

Political Activist

President Magufuli Boarded A Commercial Flight To New York, To Attend The UN General Assembly

Dr. Magufuli

Dr John Pombe Magufuli, President of Tanzania, has asserted a strong stance against public spending and discouraged unjustified foreign travels by senior government officials, since assuming office. To do just that, he is leading by example. Shortly assuming the mantle of leadership in 2015, he made his first foreign visit to Rwanda in April 2016, using a commercial flight; in fact, this visit came five months after taking over the reins of power, as opposed to his counterparts in other poor African countries who normally spend hugely on overseas travels.

Magufuli also waged a war on corruption and wasteful spending by government officials. This has led to him losing a lot of friends; nonetheless, Magufuli will not budge, as the Minister of Works, he is widely hailed as a no-nonsense, results-driven politician and “Bulldozer”, perhaps due to his vision to pursue a program to build good roads across in Tanzania.

In 2015, when his country was gearing up of for its independence celebrations, President Magufuli ordered a nationwide clean-up exercise which he led to show that much-needed commitment as a senior statesman, Maguifuli's move to not go for an extravagant celebration which could cost millions is commendable, in fact, he channeled the funds that were earmarked for the celebrations sort out to anti-cholera operations, that was needed most.

The Tanzanian President discouraged unnecessary physical meetings by public servants; instead, he advocated conference calls. For nepotism, favoritism and abuse of office, Maguifuli has zero tolerance for them. Magufuli wouldn’t think twice to deal with an incompetent civil servant, who lacks the zeal to wholeheartedly work for the advancement of Tanzania. On September 6, 2018. He appointed Diwani Athumani as Director-General for the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB). Corruption itself is said to be: “the single greatest obstacle to economic and social development. It undermines development by distorting the rule of law and weakening the institutional foundation on which economic growth depends” (World Bank).

Magufuli’s attributes cannot be found in many African leaders, who actually know their responsibilities as heads of states but give deaf ears to them. When it was time to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York, most African Heads of States took chartered flight to New York but for Magufuli, a commercial flight will do, perhaps to save cost. What a decisive and commendable move?

Another Magufuli Type of leader can be found in Mexico, its new President, Lopez Obrador, took a commercial flight instead of a chartered flight to attend the UNGA. Mr Obrador said he would be “ashamed to have a luxury Aero plane in a country with so much poverty."

Saidina Alieu Jarjou

Political Activist

Africa Will Be Ruin By The Thieves We Call Leaders

Africa has been politically backward and immature throughout the ages, with lots of violence, injustices and above all corrupt practices. Her children on the other hand, while thinking about better days to come their way, have been proven wrong by people they voted into public offices.

Among many others, corruption, tribalism, nepotism and other abuses of office, continue to be main the issues that stagnate the progress of this great continent.

The major cause of these existing wrongdoings in our darling and resource-rich continent is mainly poor leadership and governance. This practice doe not spare any individual, anybody person can be easily offended by these bad practices in the continent.

If care is not taken, the aforementioned coupled with conflicts and diseases will depopulate the continent to such an extent that it will never be able to compete in the international stage.

Imagine Africans killing each other and destroying the continent's resources, all due to the big thieves we call leaders, who cling to power and loot all the continent resources. It even appalling to find out that, those leaders don’t have hope in our healthcare and education system, because whenever their family is sick they will be rushed to health facilities abroad at the expense of the poor tax payers.

It is enough to mention the gun rule and slaughtering of people in Southern Cameroun, Libya, DRC, and Darfur, not to mention the killing of innocent civilians in Cassamance Southern Senegal. These are clear indications, that African leaders are themselves responsible for Africa's underdevelopment, genocide and political turmoil.

Africa has now turned to be the land of sorrow; it is the Continent that produces Bokou Haram and Al-Shabaab, the two Terrorist Organizations that preside over the killing of thousands innocent youth, women and children under the watch of our greedy heads of states.

Without a doubt, many citizens in Africa do not have trust in their leaders. This is because more often than not those leaders tend to abuse power for various reasons known to them. It is often said by many that African leaders put first their personal interests than that of the State and this is evidently seen in their dealings.

Corruption, nepotism, and egoism are the order of the day for them, however, no sooner did they overcome these, I only hope so, Africa’s development will propel like a Jumbo Jet. It is always better late than never to make amends.

Saidina  Alieu  Jarjou

Political Activist

An Open Letter To The Minister Of Basic and Secondary Education

I am writing this open letter not to sympathies with your ministry; I am doing so, to irritate an urgent reaction from your office, in the wake of what appears to be a serious wane in performance in the recent 2018, West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results. I learnt with dismay that over 70% of the Gambian students, who sat for this year’s WASSCE, have miserably failed beyond human imagination. The students failed most of their subjects, particularly English language and Mathematics.

Ma, I'm with the conviction, that this piece will trigger a rude awakening in your institution, so it can make a rethink about ways and means of rescuing our already compromised education sector from further calamities.

Besides, I'm fully aware of the laid down agenda in place, however, I am more concerned with facts and realities on hand that have been debilitating performances at schools. These facts are evident and as a concerned citizen, I deem it fit to add my voice to the chorus of advises directed at your office. More often than not, public schools across the country lack learning materials, Teachers on the other hand have been protesting over low salary. These two, though urgent remain unsolved. Now why would you not expect these results to be the way they are?

I believe it is obligatory upon you as a public servant to consider the outcome of the results as a catastrophe facing our educational system and chart a holistic approach that will introduce about competitiveness and seriousness in Schools across the country.

Madam Minister, I am sure that you received advice from all stakeholders on what needs to be done to advance The Gambia’s education system. Unlike rocket science however, almost everyone has an opinion on what works best for a better education sector.

Furthermore, the last time I checked over 50 years since independence, The Gambia as a sovereign nation has not been able to raise technical and vocational schools to the levels with which they can contribute profoundly to the economy. We can draw programs from China, Malaysia, Ethiopia and South Africa that embraced technical education long time ago. Most of these countries now have higher GDP and per capita income due to the significance with which they gave to technical education long time ago.

I submit to you that the challenges faced by our education sector are like Abubakar Shekau of Boko Haram in Nigeria trying to bomb the White House in America.

Surprisingly enough. The Gambia is yet to be part of the 21st Century through the use of modern technology to ease education. The Gambia have been using chalks and blackboards since the colonial era which reduces teacher confidence and causes a lot of distractions to the teaching learning process.

I am therefore by this letter appealing to your high office to consider switching to the use of white boards and markers to boost teacher confidence in front of the class. A confident teacher is more likely to attract the attention of the students which would go a long way to ensure good grasp of what is being taught in the classroom. The role of education in the age of globalization ought to be to broaden the horizons in the minds of people and there ought to be equal access to opportunities for this exposure.

Saidina Alieu Jarjou

Blogger/Political Activist

The Untold Story About Comrade Magistrate Omar Jabang, The Gambia’s Finest

Omar Jabang

If anything, Magistrate Jabang a bright prospect in the country's legal fraternity, is one of the most competent, credible and impartial home-grown legal minds in the country. Born in Pirang, Kombo East, Jabang graduated from Nusrat Senior Secondary School in 2009 as the overall best student. Under the leadership of His Splendour Karamo Bojang, he was recognized by all Teachers as a sharp minded person.

Jabang passed his WASSCE exams with flying colours and proceeded to the prestigious University of The Gambia where he later graduated with an LLB (hons). He was also ranked as the most outstanding student of the Gambia Law School batch of 2014/2015 academic year unlike many young Gambians in the legal system.

In February 2014, Magistrate Jabang was appointed as the youngest magistrate in the legal system at the age of 23 as a First Class Magistrate, shortly after bagging a Law Degree at the UTG. His appointment as Principal Magistrate at the Banjul Magistrates’ Court was seen by many as a major victory for youth empowerment. ‘‘The office of the Chief Justice was also captivated with his academic success and his personal development’’ A colleague, said.

Jabang, presided over high profile cases during his era at the Kanifing Magistrate Court. Sometimes ago, he excellently acquitted former Ombudsman Mr. Alhagie Sowe. Of recent he has acquitted the GDC MP Hon. Sowe and Co. ‘‘the prosecution put the accused in the box and then went to sleep. It was the prosecution that should have pursued the case diligently, instead of putting the liberty of the accused at risk,” the young magistrate then told the court.

During our days at Nusrat, Jabang used to be an independent and a no nonsense Student Leader. As a result he refused to be used as a machinery Magistrate to jail innocent Gambians out of fear of being arrested again and detained for his judicial work. As then The Gambian Judiciary lacks independence and dances to the tune of the former President Yaya Jammeh.

Ousainou Darboe

This manifested in the trial of opposition leader Lawyer Ousainou N.K Darboe now Vice President and Co. Who were wrongly charged, prosecuted and sentenced to 3 years, for peacefully demonstrating for the release of their party youth leader Sir. Solo Sandeng who was beaten to death, for protesting for electoral reforms.

In, 2016 Magistrate Jabang was arrested and detained at the Serious Crime Unit of The Gambia Police Force in Banjul following his ruling on a no case to answer where he acquitted and discharged one Mr. Yusupha Saidy, a businessman. After his arrest and detention, Jabang was later dismissed from the Judiciary for doing the right thing as per his oath of secrecy.

Readers could recalled that during the 22 years brutal rule of President Yaya Jammeh, Magistrates were prone to arrest and detention when they failed to heed to executive directives to jail innocent people. Especially when they deliver verdicts and it doesn’t go down well with him they are arrested, detained, charged and dismissed.

Furthermore, Jabang, life is a ladder in which you need to climb before arriving the destination of success as such you will face challenges, hardship and difficulties. Let no obstacle disrupt you on your route to success as some will serve as de-motivational factor on your journey to success. Say to yourself that you are unstoppable and nothing can stop you from achieving your dream.

Saidina Alieu Jarjou

Political Activist

“President Barrow Should Desist From Bogus Promises And Work On Institutional Reforms”

The last time I checked, the Barrow led administration is a transitional government which main preoccupation is to make sure good institutions; that will address the rules and norms that will shape the public sector for a better Gambia, are created. It is on record that citizens were given bogus promises, including but not limited to, the reduction of rice from the current price to an affordable D500, increase of salaries, procession of jobs for young people, better health care among many others. Surprisingly enough, implementing these ambitious promises appears too farfetched.

The Gambia’s Public institutions such as the Police, Military and the Judiciary, that all served as stooges under Jammeh’s 22 years brutal rule, by oppressing their own people, should be rigorously reformed by the Barrow led administration, in order to rid the ‘bad cows’ off the system and bring about democracy and good governance, as we transit to democracy. Institutional reform as component of transitional justice is vigorous, it aims at acknowledging victims as citizens and holders of rights and to build trust between all citizens and their public institutions.

Institutional reform again, is not only a process of reviewing and restructuring state institutions so they respect human rights, it also preserve the rule of law and ensure, politicians especially, are accountable to their constituents. By incorporating a transitional justice element in our democratic transition, reform efforts can both provide accountability for individual perpetrators and disable the structures that allowed usurpation of power. (Phochan, 2015).

Furthermore, the University of The Gambia and the Gambia College, are in urgent need of learning materials. The lecture rooms in which lecturers and the students use, are not very conducive, they find it difficult to cope with the situation. However, if we want to have better educational system where students learn to develop themselves and strive hard to learn the values of life, we must focus our energy and resources on the university where it all began.

It is evident that; events of theft are on the rise in the new Gambia. Thieves get chances of stealing in the darkness and on a broad daylight, in one word, indiscriminately, because of the power shortage by NAWEC well as the fragile security situation. So brought about that kind of fear among people in The Gambia. I remember the president promised us of tightened security. Barely a month on, all I hear is one kind of killing, robbery and rape or the other.

The Gambia Health Sector is in serious crisis as a result of inadequate medical facilities and human resources. The mere fact that; the health care system is based on donor funds, has made people dying unnecessarily, whenever donor funds are unavailable when they are needed the most.

Of recent, President Barrow announced in his meet the People tour, that his administration will build a bridge across the mouth of the River Gambia between Banjul and Barra. Bridges, have no doubt proven themselves to be very useful to mankind.

However, there are many disadvantages to bridges, especially on our environment. Besides, the pollution of our waters by chemical waste from vehicles can contaminate the water via precipitation. The construction of bridges alone, can drastically change the environment and impose serious health issues.

Furthermore, it is unrealistic and a misplaced priority to come up with the idea of constructing a bridge in the face of mounting challenges that continue to stall our growth and national development. The President is fully aware of these and knows that, they actually require swift attention than bridge he is talking about.

Saidina Alieu Jarjou

Blogger/Political Activist

‘’President Barrow’s Meet The People Tour Is Unjustifiable And A Waste Of State Resources’’

I was wowed when I learnt that; President Barrow and delegation has set out on a countrywide meet the people tour. Even though the nationwide tour is sanctioned by Section 222(15) of the constitution of the Republic of The Gambia, It is unjustifiable and uncalled for to embark on such an expensive trip, considering the recent state of economy as well as the mounting challenges facing our beloved country.

Furthermore, the heavens have opened long ago, giving farmers the green light to start work. As a result, the tour should have hold before the raining season, so he can be furnished with challenges facing the poor Farmers and address them by now.

In The Gambia, however, the challenges go beyond low rainfall, pests and disease. Farmers at all scales of the production value chain, need access to the inputs required to produce a successful crop high yielding seeds using effective fertilizers and sufficient water through irrigation system.

The last time I checked the provision of a safe water supply and good sanitation are major contributory factors to positive healthcare. Unfortunately, The Barrow administration is unable to provide clean water for all rural and urban areas. We cannot achieve a free zone disease country until and unless we take in charge of our health care system and pump in the required resources to meet international standards.

Tomas Sankara

Taking a cue from the great Pan Africanist- Tomas Sankara, one could realize that; Living way ahead of his time, within 12 months of his leadership, Sankara vigorously pursued a reforestation program that saw over 10 million trees planted around the country in order to push back the encroachment of the Sahara Desert. In less than 4 years, Burkina Faso became self-sufficient in foods production through the redistribution of lands from the hands of corrupt Chiefs and landowners to local farmers, and through massive irrigation and fertilizer distribution programs. Sankara rejected the idea of foreign aid, stating that “he who feeds you, controls you.”

Lest you forget Mr. President, citizens do no longer safe, the rate at which crime is increasing under your watch is disturbing. In the face of this, Sir, many have been wondering whether or not, your government has the capabilities to come down hard on organised crime and its perpetrators?

The Gambia has a big youthful population, majority of whom are poor, uneducated and are jobless. Most of these youth have resorted to drug abuse and peddling. This did not only triggered several mental illnesses among the teeming masses of young people, it only poses as a monumental problem which threatens the cream of our society. Sir no sooner did you solve, the better it is for all and sundry.

Going further, the female youth too, resort to prostitution as a quick way of earning money for a leaving. To realize the dividend of leadership in the 21^st Century, the Barrow led administration must invest in the empowerment, education and employment of her young people. There are thousands of young people in The Gambia today, representing an overwhelming amount of human potential. Yet, too many of them are confined in poverty, with few opportunities to learn or to earn a decent standard of living.

This is just few of the many problems that may come to mine, nonetheless, there are many others that continue debilitating our progress. This is why I believe, the resources used on the tour, could have been useful in solving this and many teething issues affecting our national development.

Saidina Alieu Jarjou

Blogger/Political Activist