Gambia’s Education Ministry Bars Inter-House Sports From Public Venues After Reports of Misconduct

By Seedy Jobe

The Gambia’s Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education on Friday imposed an immediate ban on all inter-house sporting events held in public parks and venues, citing what it described as a rising pattern of disorderly behavior that has disrupted schools and unsettled surrounding communities.

In a statement issued on Feb. 6, the ministry said the decision followed a series of incidents linked to school sports activities, which it said had “not only disrupted academic schedules but also created public disturbances and exposed students to indiscipline and unsafe environments.”

Under the new directive, all public and private schools are required to conduct sporting activities strictly within their own compounds. Schools without adequate facilities have been instructed to make arrangements to use nearby school fields instead.

The ministry also limited participation in such events to students of the organizing school, effectively ending the large inter-school gatherings that have become common in public spaces.

Regional Education Directorates have been directed to enforce the policy, the statement said.

Education officials framed the move as part of a broader effort to restore discipline and protect students, emphasizing the government’s commitment to “safeguarding student welfare, maintaining academic integrity, and ensuring extracurricular activities are conducted in a disciplined and secure environment.”

The ban takes effect immediately.