The Gambia Teachers’ Union, in collaboration with Action Aid International, The Gambia and the Commonwealth Education Fund, on Friday joined the rest of the world to celebrated World Teachers’ Day, at a ceremony held at the Gambia Telecommunication Multimedia Institution (GTMI) hall, in Kanifing.

The theme of this year’s celebration is “Quality Teachers’ For Quality Education”, and the sub-theme was “Better working conditions for teachers means better learning conditions for learners”.

In his opening remarks, Alhagie Babucarr Bouye, Permanent Secretary, Department of State for Basic and Secondary Education (DOSBSE), disclosed that when talking about the quality of a teacher, the person must be caring, loving, knowledgeable and to be able to effectively communicate with the students. He added that in recognising a quality teacher, you can judge by looking at the learning and achievement of the students and also a teacher who can help students with good level of understanding and will also help students to acquire skills and knowledge.

Mr Bouye concluded that DOSBSE will continue to work with the GTU to improve the quality of teachers.

For his part, Mr Omar J Ndure, President of the GTU, said “teaching and learning process is so intricate and so demanding that not everybody are up to it, because it requires commitment, dedication, and selflessness and above all, love for the children”, noting that the teachers are non-selfish actors as they always want to see their students prosper over them. “Do we therefore as a public fall back and reflect for a moment to appreciate the teachers’ determination and resolve to providing quality education at a remotely located school, possibly in Region 5 or 6”, he said.

According to him, they are encouraged by the recent incentive package provided to health workers, a magnanimous gesture by government to help retain staff. “We the teachers are ever ready to give our very best by providing relevant and qualitaive education to Gambian children. We shall continue to support the DOSBSE in the fulfilment of its programmes,” he concluded.

The ceremony was chaired by Rohey A Sillah.