Dr. Habibatou Drame, Minister of Basic & Secondary Education
By Fatou Sillah
The Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Habibatou Drame, has embarked on an unannounced tour of schools in the North Bank Region. Institutions visited included Essau Upper Basic School, Bakindik Lower Basic School, Aljamdu Lower Basic School, and Sittanunku’s Lower, Upper, and Senior Secondary Schools, as well as ongoing school construction sites in Lower Niumi.
According to a statement from the ministry, the visit aimed to gain firsthand insights into the reopening of schools in both Lower and Upper Niumi during the first week of the academic year.
“The minister expressed her appreciation to the teachers for making it possible for teaching and learning to commence during the first week of reopening. She highlighted the ministry’s commitment to ensure all necessary resources are made available to schools to enhance teaching and learning,” the statement read.
The ministry further noted that while student turnout was encouraging, some learners were still absent. Minister Drame urged parents to play their part in reversing this trend, stressing that “it’s no longer business as usual” when it comes to the first week of school attendance.
As part of her tour, Dr. Drame also visited Jerreh Camp, where teachers and language experts are working on developing learning materials in seven national languages. This initiative, the ministry explained, seeks to improve foundational learning through the integration of national languages in education.