STUDENTS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER THE BAN ON SUMMER CLASSES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Mustapha Jallow
Following the confirmation of a Circular from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education which states that “no public or grant aided school should use its premise to conduct commercial study classes at any time in the academic year”, this reporter, on the 14th August 2013, visited three of the affected schools in the Kanifing Municipality to find out from teachers and students alike how this decision is received.
Visiting Latrikunda Upper Basic School (LKUBS), this reporter met with three students who said they were there for the summer classes, but were told that there shouldn’t be any private studies in the school. According to Haddijatou L. Jammeh, a Grade 9 student, they had their classes on Monday, but that when they came on Wednesday, they were told that summer classes are banned in the school.
“When we asked the teacher why, he told us that the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education sent a Circular to the school banning the conducting of summer classes in schools in the country,” she said. She said the summer classes are very useful to her as a student in Grade 9 who is preparing for exams and that banning it would really affect her academic performance.
Haddijatou said the ban came after they have already paid and had classes for few weeks. Another student at LKUBS, Isatou Faye, also a grade 9 student, explained that when they came for their summer classes on that day, a Parent Teacher Association (PTA) member came to the school with a police officer and told them that there are no more summer classes in the country.
“All the students who were there felt very disappointed when they told us that summer classes are banned as this was going to affect us in our exams,” she lamented. Awa Manjang, another Grade 9 student, said stopping the summer classes would really affect them as some of them do not have the means to pay for a private teacher to teach them at home. She said her parents are only managing to pay for the summer class which is cheaper than having a private teacher.
At St Therese’s Upper Basic School, the Vice Principal confirmed to this reporter that there will be no summer classes in the country from now on as communicated to them through a Circular from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education. The Vice Principal of Tallinding Upper Basic School, however, declined to make any comment when asked whether summer classes will be conducted in her school or whether the school administration has received the Circular from the ministry. When this reporter visited the Regional Education Directorate at Kanifing, the Director was said to be busy and could not grant an interview on the issue.
It could be recalled that in the Foroyaa issue of 1 August 2013, the Regional Director stressed that there will be summer studies for all schools.
Following the confirmation of a Circular from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education which states that “no public or grant aided school should use its premise to conduct commercial study classes at any time in the academic year”, this reporter, on the 14th August 2013, visited three of the affected schools in the Kanifing Municipality to find out from teachers and students alike how this decision is received.
Visiting Latrikunda Upper Basic School (LKUBS), this reporter met with three students who said they were there for the summer classes, but were told that there shouldn’t be any private studies in the school. According to Haddijatou L. Jammeh, a Grade 9 student, they had their classes on Monday, but that when they came on Wednesday, they were told that summer classes are banned in the school.
“When we asked the teacher why, he told us that the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education sent a Circular to the school banning the conducting of summer classes in schools in the country,” she said. She said the summer classes are very useful to her as a student in Grade 9 who is preparing for exams and that banning it would really affect her academic performance.
Haddijatou said the ban came after they have already paid and had classes for few weeks. Another student at LKUBS, Isatou Faye, also a grade 9 student, explained that when they came for their summer classes on that day, a Parent Teacher Association (PTA) member came to the school with a police officer and told them that there are no more summer classes in the country.
“All the students who were there felt very disappointed when they told us that summer classes are banned as this was going to affect us in our exams,” she lamented. Awa Manjang, another Grade 9 student, said stopping the summer classes would really affect them as some of them do not have the means to pay for a private teacher to teach them at home. She said her parents are only managing to pay for the summer class which is cheaper than having a private teacher.
At St Therese’s Upper Basic School, the Vice Principal confirmed to this reporter that there will be no summer classes in the country from now on as communicated to them through a Circular from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education. The Vice Principal of Tallinding Upper Basic School, however, declined to make any comment when asked whether summer classes will be conducted in her school or whether the school administration has received the Circular from the ministry. When this reporter visited the Regional Education Directorate at Kanifing, the Director was said to be busy and could not grant an interview on the issue.
It could be recalled that in the Foroyaa issue of 1 August 2013, the Regional Director stressed that there will be summer studies for all schools.