Following Seven months of Unpaid Stipend

Mr. Nanama Keita, a third year Higher Teachers Certificate student of the Gambia College, also Sports editor of The Daily Observer newspaper, has levelled the latest allegation against the college’s administration, following a series of similar allegations that the college has been beset with in recent times.

Mr. Keita, who is currently undergoing teaching practice at the Latrikunda Upper Basic School, alleged that he has not been paid his monthly stipend for the past seven months.

According to Mr. Keita, the non- payment of stipend to him started in February this year when he travelled to Congo Brazzaville to cover the African U-20 championship in his capacity as the Sports Editor of the Daily Observer.

Mr. Keita related that after his return from Congo a week later, he went to the college to see the Lecturer who was supervising his project, but to his surprise, he was informed by the head of School of Education, Mrs. Jallow-Ndow, that because he had travelled to Congo without informing the relevant authorities his stipend was to be suspended effective February 2007 until his headmistress, Mrs. Sanneh, wrote back to the college authorities to clarify.

He argued that he did the right thing by informing the acting headmistress of Bakau Upper Basic of his intention to travel to Congo and has written a formal request for reference purposes.

“Thinking that all is right, I went ahead with my teaching practice as normal. However, the end of the month, March 2007, sent a wrong signal when my name disappeared on the student’s payroll. When I enquired from Mrs. Ndow, on why my name was missing, she told me that they will not release my stipend until Mrs. Sanneh writes back and clarify,” Mr. Keita noted.

He added: “After five months of no- stipend (February – June), I made up my mind to quit the course if my stipend was not reinstated. But I was made to change my mind when I was assured that my stipend would be reinstated the following month (July 2007).”

Mr. Keita further revealed that the college later decided to forfeit the unpaid stipend and pledged to put him on a new payroll as soon as he resumed school in September 2007 as a student teacher, when he should have been a qualified HTC holder.

When contacted for comments, Dr. Alieu Badara Senghore, Principal of Gambia College, had this to say: “Any registered student that is eligible to be paid stipend every month is being paid stipend.”