Demba, I know you were at Armitage but so were two of my uncles who both remember you as one of their juniors.
I also know the girl who spoke on your behalf to president Jawara- she is from Jarra Soma- and it was after that conversation that a decision was made to send the students home while their grievances were been addressed. There was no clashes with either the school authorities or the security forces. It was nearly end of term anyway and therefore not much disruption.
President Jawara accepted the complains and even teased your articulate head girl for showing no physical sign of hunger or malnutrition.
And by the way, it was Lamin Waa Juwara who orchestrated that demo. This is small Gambia for you, my friend.
In any case, the Armitage issue is not a justification for what is happening in St. Augustine's. You are mixing oranges with apples. They don't sit like that 0n supermarket shelves.
Daffeh
On Monday, 4 March 2013, Demba Baldeh <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I was at Armitage and the school could have been burned down if they had kept the students on campus as tempers were rising and things were going out of control... student riots can go out of control....
> In any case I hope the resolve the situation sooner as the students deserve to return to their classes... Gambia is at a very tense moment and the authorities are paranoid and panicky....thus the heavy handedness...
> Hope they resolve it soon...
>
> Thanks
>
> Demba
> On Mon, Mar 4, 2013 at 2:04 PM, UDP United Kingdom <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>> What,for this long? According to my information, the students at Armitage were sent home so that improvements can be made to their living quarters and the food issue sorted out. It would have been wrong to keep the students in campus if there was no enough food to sustain them.
>>
>> In any case, that still doesn't justify what is happening at Saints as tension can be defused by just temporarily removing the focal point of the protest from school campus, the vice principal, and let learning continue uninterrupted.
>>
>> Thanks
>> Daffeh
>> On Monday, 4 March 2013, Demba Baldeh <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> > Historically schools have been closed in Gambia due to student demonstrations or upheavals. In 1986/87 when the students demonstrated at Armitage everyone was sent home and the school closed for about a week. Lamin Waa Juwara was the Commissioner at the time and this was Jawara's time.
>> > So I guess without sounding supportive of the Ministry's emergency action, I think closing the school temporary is a fast way of dispersing the students to avoid further damage to the school and lost of lives... So I think they should follow up quickly, address the problem and restore the situation to normalcy... I know the Principal Mr. Gomez and he is a decent man and hardworking...very down to earth...
>> > Thanks
>> >
>> > Demba
>> >
>> > On Mon, Mar 4, 2013 at 7:45 AM, Baba Galleh Jallow <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> >
>> > Malanding, I don't think that Bouy has much to do with the closure, apart from getting the message out. In today's Gambia, every major decision of this nature emanates directly from the president's office. That is how tyrannical regimes operate. The ministry of basic education would not dare close the school without orders from above.
>> >
>> > Baba
>> >
>> > ________________________________
>> > Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2013 09:58:22 -0500
>> > From: [log in to unmask]
>> > Subject: [G_L] St Augustine's SSS still closed?
>> > To: [log in to unmask]
>> >
>> > You mean its so bad that Mr. Bouy, who I believe is a Saint's Alum must resort to closing the entire school until further notice? Very shocking and depressing:(
>> >
>> > Malanding Jaiteh
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > St Augustine’s SSS closed, for now
>> >
>> > africa » gambia
>> > Thursday, February 28, 2013
>> > The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education Tuesday announced that it is closing St. Augustine’s Senior Secondary School in Banjul until further notice.
>> >
>> > A press release from the Ministry said this followed an upheaval at the school, and urged the students to stay away from the premises of the school and wait for further directives from the Ministry.
>> >
>> > Below is the full text of the press release:
>> >
>> > “Following the upheaval at St. Augustine’s Senior Secondary School, the general public is hereby informed that the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education is closing the said school until further notice. In this regard and until such a time that the school is being re-opened:
>> >
>> > 1.Students attending St. Augustine’s Senior Secondary School are being asked to stay away from the school premises and to wait for further directives from the Ministry.
>> >
>> > 2.Parents of student attending St. Augustine’s are also urged to ensure that this directive is adhered to strictly by their children.
>> >
>> > The general public is being assured that the authorities of the Ministry and the school will be working together with a view to reopening the school soonest.
>> >
>> > The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education counts on the usual cooperation and understanding of the general public.”
>> >
>> > Your co-operation is highly appreciated.
>> >
>> > Yours Sincerely
>> >
>> > Baboucarr Bouy
>> >
>> > Permanent Secretary
>> >
>> > ､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､､ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://listserv.icors.org/archives/gambia-l.html To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: Gambia-l-request@listserv
>> >
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