Islamic Education Secretariat Received More Than D701 Million in Government Subventions Since 2021, Minister Says

By Fatou Sillah

The Gambia government provided more than D701 million in subventions to the secretariat responsible for Islamic and Arabic education between 2021 and 2025, according to the Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Habibatou Drammeh.

Speaking before the National Assembly, Dr. Drammeh said the secretariat, known as AMANAA, receives a monthly subvention through the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education under a memorandum of understanding with the government.

“In five years, a total subvention of D701,405,035.90 was extended to the secretariat responsible for Islamic and Arabic education in The Gambia under MoBSE,” she said.

Despite receiving more than D700 million in public funds over the five years, Dr. Drammeh said no formal audit report on AMANAA has been produced to date.

The minister said the organization falls under the oversight of the National Audit Office and that her ministry has begun taking steps to address the absence of an audit. She said she instructed the ministry’s internal auditor last month to examine AMANAA’s finances.

“I have engaged our internal auditor,” Dr. Drammeh said, adding that the decision was made even before the parliamentary question was raised. “Ongoing development requires that we look at everything that we do, and where we find gaps, we try to address them.”

She said the ministry was also prepared to work with the National Audit Office to resolve outstanding auditing issues.

Dr. Drammeh told lawmakers that AMANAA does not receive funding through the School Improvement Grant, a program that provides financial support to public schools.

Beyond financing and oversight, the minister said the government was working to strengthen the qualifications of teachers in the madrasa system and deepen the integration of Islamic and Arabic education with the conventional school system.

The effort, she said, is intended to broaden educational and professional opportunities for both madrasa teachers and students.