By Seedy Jobe
The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has banned all fundraising activities in public basic and secondary schools nationwide, saying the practice is incompatible with the government’s policy of providing free public education.
The directive, announced Thursday, takes effect immediately and prohibits schools from organizing or facilitating any fundraising initiatives that require financial contributions from students or their families.
In a statement, the ministry said the decision was made to uphold its No-Levy Policy, which is intended to guarantee free and equitable access to public education and ensure that no child is prevented from attending school because of financial obligations.
Under the directive, schools are prohibited from requesting cash contributions from students or parents, selling event tickets to learners, or conducting any other fundraising activities on or around school premises that impose costs on families.
“This directive is issued in strict alignment with the Ministry’s No-Levy Policy, which guarantees free and equitable access to public education for all Gambian children,” the ministry said in its statement.
The ministry instructed all principals, headteachers, and school administrators to immediately cease organizing, hosting, or facilitating fundraising activities, emphasizing that compliance with the directive is mandatory.
Officials warned that any breach of the policy would be treated as a serious violation and could result in disciplinary action against those responsible.
The ministry said the measure forms part of the government’s broader effort to eliminate financial barriers to education and ensure that public schooling remains genuinely free and accessible to every Gambian child.
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