Fatou,
 
Thanks for inspiring a discussion on our history which is always very interesting.
 
I remember the Methodist Primary school quite well. As mentioned, it was the one where i started school and one of my classmates who started school with me and was in the same class and sat next to me was Njameh Mboge, Sir Dawda's second wife. Her dad was a police inspector in Georgetown at the time (hope I have his rank at the time right) and she and her sister Marie Mboge were playmates and went to the school; and their mom the late Ya Arret Charreh and my mom were very good friends. 
 
Incidentally, my mom also grew up at Njalloh in half die where her aunt who brought her up was married, and where Sir Dawda was also being provided guardianship while he was in school at the same time. She said he was a very respectul young man.
 
Our teacher in that begining class at Methodist Primary School was Mrs Coker, I think the mother of Joy Coker and her husband was the headmaster there at that time. As mentioned before, it was a one room school house and I don't remember how the inside of the main school building was divided for the different classes among whom was my brother Musa Joh.(I also still remember him ringing that big bell in the school yard to signal the start of school) 
There was not enough room to accomodate all the students in the main school building and the enclosed verandah of the headmasters' residence was converted into a class room for the first graders and second graders and Mrs Coker taught both classes. I have very fond memories of her and her family.She was an excellent teacher.
 
I remember that Njameh Mboge had excellent penmanship on our chalkboard slates and I remember on one occasion, the very first day of class, trying to bribe her with my snacks if she would write on my slate for me and Mrs Coker found out and asked me how I was ever going to learn to write if I wanted someone else to do it for me. That is something i still remember to this day. I did learn to have good penmanship later though.(LOL) and just for the record, i have never bribed anyone to do my work for me ever since.
 
Jabou Joh
 
 
-----Original Message-----
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To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tue, 8 May 2007 9:41 AM
Subject: Quiz on history of education in The Gambia Part II/Corrections & Answers


Dear All, 
 
I am delighted to notice the interest this has ignited among the few 
of us. My responses are as follows: 
 
Point of correction: 
- Jabou I made further research and discovered it was actually the 
Methodist school which was built in 1911. The old text i was referring 
to just said mission school and as it was making an earlier reference 
to the RC, i thought it meant that one. 
- Kristikunda St John primary school is most certainly the St Georges 
School. Further verification proved that St Josephs and Kristikunda 
were there almost together. However Kristikuda was Anglican but I am 
not sure about St Georges which I am afraid could be RC. 
 
Answers to the previous questions: 
 
6 - The first Teacher Training College was opened in Georgetown in 
1949 and it was associated to Armitage School. It was meant to provide 
teachers for the Protectorate schools. It will move to Yundum in 1953 
to become Yundum College. 
 
7 - Dr Jaiteh got that almost right. Armitage school was actually 
built in 1927 and not 1923. In fact, until the last time i visited my 
alma mata in 2000, that date could be seen on top of the assembly 
building. The reason you gave is perfectly correct. 
 
8 - The First 6th Form started in the Gambia High School in 1962. It 
was the same year that the school occupied its present location (at 
the turn table entering Banjul). 
 
9 - When the post of Minister of Education was created in 1954, no one 
occupied it between 1955 and 1960. Hon D. K. Jawara would be the 
minister in 1960, he will be succeeded by Hon E. D. Njie in 1961. When 
the general elections were held in 1962 and there was a change of 
government, Hon P. L. Baldeh would be appointed and in 1963 he will be 
succeeded by Hon A. Camara. 
 
10 - Karantaba, Kuntaur, Illiasa, Kaiaf, Bureng, Dumbutu and Njau will 
all have their schools opened in 1949. 
 
(My references are from the following: Sessional Paper N° 17 of 1964, 
1961 - 1963 Education Department Report - to be found at the British 
Library on St Pancras, 96 Euston Road, London) 
 
Dr Jaiteh, as you questions are sort of "provocative", i will attempt 
to answer them. However my history is not that good even if i am the 
provoker here. 
 
1) - Fodeh Kaba Dumbuya was a Jahanka jihadist (am sure you must be a 
jahanka), administrator and an anti-colonial resistant. I wont call 
him a trouble-maker except if you were on the side of the French and 
the british troops he resisted. In fact, ironically, one of the 
colonial masters would equip him against Alpha Molo and the latter is 
killed, an uncle would rally with him against Musa in order to get 
back the Fulladu empire. As for Maba, I will find out. 
 
2) - It shall be unfair to call him a sell out. In his time he was 
betrayed by his uncle and he was under attack constantly by Fodeh Kaba 
and the colonials. I am sure he was exemplary. Will find out more. 
 
Au revoir! 
 
Fatoumata 
 
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