The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) in The Gambia has warned private school teachers against embarking on unauthorised “sit-down” protests, saying such actions disrupt learning and bypass established grievance procedures.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Ministry expressed concern over what it described as the increasing frequency of protest actions by some private school teachers without prior engagement with either the Ministry or the Gambia Teachers’ Union (GTU).
MoBSE urged teachers, school administrators, and other education stakeholders to channel complaints relating to welfare, remuneration, and working conditions through the Ministry’s Regional Directorates, the Ministry’s Headquarters, or the GTU.
According to the Ministry, using these official channels ensures that grievances are properly documented, legally reviewed, and addressed in a timely and effective manner.
The Ministry also warned that abandoning classrooms to protest salaries or other concerns without first exhausting the established dispute resolution mechanisms would no longer be tolerated.
It stressed that uninterrupted teaching and learning remain critical to students’ academic progress, noting that disruptions to the school calendar undermine learning outcomes.
While reaffirming its commitment to protecting the welfare of both public and private school teachers, the Ministry said it would continue to balance teachers’ rights with its responsibility to ensure the delivery of quality education across The Gambia.
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