Teaching of Gambia constitution should be compulsory in schools

The teaching of the Constitution of The Gambia should be made compulsory in all schools in the country, the chief of Kombo South has said.

Alhagie Mustapha Touray said if the primary schools are too “junior” to start receiving teaching about The Gambia constitution, then the exercise should start from junior secondary schools up to the university. 

Chief of Kombo South, Alhagie Mustapha Touray

The tutors should come from the National Council for Civic Education (NCCE), he added. 

Chief Touray noted that it is only through teaching of the Constitution in schools that people will be more aware of their civic rights and responsibility.

The Chief made these statements during a two-day training on the amended Local Government Act 2002 and Human Rights for ward councillors of the Brikama Area Council, organised by the National Council for Civic Education (NCCE). 

The training started on Wednesday at the complex of the Brikama Area Council in Brikama.
His comments came shortly after the ward councillors outlined their expectations and objectives for attending the training. 

Most of the ward councillors said they are expecting to be conversant with the Local Government Act so they can perform their duties based on the Act. 

Chief Touray pointed out that if people are aware of the Constitution then understanding of the laws in the country would not be difficult hence it is necessary for the Constitution to be taught at school.

The NCCE officials at the forum said the Council was initially going to school to sentitise the teachers and the students of their civic responsibilities and rights. 

They used to go to The Gambia College also to sensitise the teacher-trainees on the same thing, he said, adding that the aim of those sensitizations is to lay the ground for the introduction of civic education like teaching of the constitution at schools. 

When this project came to an end, the NCCE made a recommendation to the Ministry of Education that civic education, such as teaching of the Constitution, should be made a compulsory subject at school. 

However, they lamented that the recommendation is yet to be heeded to.

In the interim, the former chairman of the institution, the late Father David Jimoh Jarju, had earlier on said the people should educate themselves on the Constitution.

“Let them take time to read this Constitution. People should take time to read laws; it helps for them to know about their rights, their responsibilities and their duties,” he said, adding that people should take more interest in knowing the Constitution.