ERNWACA ends validation dissemination workshop

Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The Education Research Network for West and Central Africa (ERNWACA), on Saturday, organised a cafe to validate and disseminate the results of a study entitled, “A study of the extent to which social policy development in The Gambia informed by Research Evidence,” held at ERNWACA headquarters, Mile 7 funded by UNESCO-NATCOM.

The six-month study was commissioned by UNESCO in pursuance of its resolution to implement the plan of action for social transformations under its major programme (social and human sciences). Under this programme, UNESCO’s social science technical committee invited key institutions in The Gambia “to work towards producing good project proposals on “the extent to which social policy development in The Gambia is informed by research evidence,” and eventually, the present study was undertaken by the Gambian chapter of the network.

According to a UNESCO report, The Gambia government aims to transform the country  into “a dynamic middle-income country with a competitive free market economy to achieve the objective articulated world-wide in the millennium development goals (MDGs) and in the Education For All (EFA) documents”.

One possible strategy for achieving this transformation, according to the report, would be through seeking new ways of promoting rapid growth and development through the creation of economic and social research institutions which would investigate economic and social issues and their effects on national development.  An enhanced capacity to undertake such investigations would strengthen the government’s capacity to formulate, implement and monitor its policies and programmes for sustained development in line with vision 2020, the MDGs and the EFA goals.

In his opening remarks, Makaireh A Njie, national coordinator, ERNWACA-Gambia informed the participants that the validation and dissemination workshop is meant to bring together researchers, policy makers and the press to share information regarding research projects that the network undertakes from time to time.  He added that the activities included the review of all relevant policy documents in the education, agriculture and health sectors.  The general objective of the study was to determine the ways in which research contributes to social policy development in The Gambia and evaluate the extent of The Gambia’s contribution.

Present at the occasion were representatives from DoS for Education, DoS for Health, DoS for Agriculture, MRC, Family Planning, Catholic Mission Basic Education, Dr Y Benneth from UK, who is the scientific adviser, University of The Gambia staff and students and other personalities.

Author: by Sheriff Barry