Gambia:𝐌𝐨𝐁𝐒𝐄, 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫

The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) recently hosted the Auditor General and a delegation from the National Audit Office (NAO) for a high-level stakeholder engagement focused on strengthening accountability, transparency, and effective management of public resources in the education sector.

The engagement brought together the Hon. Minister for Basic and Secondary Education, the Permanent Secretary, senior management officials of MoBSE, representatives of the Internal Audit Unit, and senior officials of the National Audit Office led by the Auditor General, Mr. Cherno Amadou Sowe.

Speaking during the meeting, Mr. Sowe appreciated the Ministry for hosting the delegation and praised the growing collaboration between MoBSE and the National Audit Office in promoting accountability and transparency within public institutions.

He explained that the mandate of the NAO is to ensure that public resources are managed lawfully, responsibly, and in ways that deliver value to citizens.

According to him, the office remains committed to carrying out its responsibilities through strict professional and ethical standards backed by rigorous review processes to guarantee fairness, accuracy, and credibility in audit reporting.

The Auditor General further disclosed that the National Audit Office would continue to conduct performance audits within the education sector to assess whether investments in education are yielding meaningful outcomes for learners, schools, and communities.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Louis Moses Mendy, welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

Describing MoBSE as one of the country’s largest public institutions, he noted that the Ministry oversees significant public investments aimed at improving access to quality and equitable education.

Mr. Mendy stressed the importance of strong accountability systems in ensuring that public funds are effectively utilized to achieve measurable impact across the education sector.

He also assured the delegation of the Ministry’s commitment to responsible management of public resources in order to sustain public trust and improve service delivery.

The Internal Auditor attached to MoBSE highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen the Ministry’s internal control systems, noting that management continues to provide full support to both the Internal Audit Unit and the Ministry’s Audit Committee.

He underscored the importance of sustained collaboration with the National Audit Office, particularly in implementing audit recommendations and addressing high-risk areas requiring urgent attention.

Also speaking, the Hon. Minister for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Habibatou Drammeh, welcomed the engagement and reaffirmed government’s dedication to transparency, accountability, and prudent financial management.

She commended the work of the Internal Audit Unit, describing effective audit systems as essential tools for identifying institutional gaps, improving performance, and safeguarding public resources.

Dr. Drammeh further emphasized that education remains a key national priority, stressing that all stakeholders must work collectively to ensure that resources allocated to the sector are used efficiently and for their intended purposes.