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It’s very heart-warming to visit a well-run, well equipped and affordable private school in The Gambia, initiated and built by private German citizens.
Yesterday, we had the pleasure of visiting the Steinweg Upper Basic School in Bafuloto, Kombo Central, built by the ‘Education in Gambia Organisation’, under the guidance of Dorothea and Detlef Steinweg and with financing from a private German foundation.
While construction started in 2018, the school is boasting already nine buildings, classrooms including an IT-Classroom, carpentry, metal working and tailoring workshops, a horticultural and poultry farm and a kitchen. This upper-basic school is young and rapidly growing. In two years it will be teaching about 190 students in the classes 7-9.
The school aims to provide academic and at the same time technical skills for students from the neighbouring communities. The good reputation of the Steinweg school is already spreading so students are also coming from further away. Students are between 14-24 years old and follow daily classes in Maths, English and ICT as well as being instructed in agriculture, poultry management, building, carpentry, wood and metal work, tailoring and home science (catering). The school even showcases a little pond with different fish species – tilapia, perch and catfish which aims to instruct students in basic skills of fish breeding.
In their first year, all students are instructed in all subjects. As they develop their interests, they are free to choose which technical subject they would like to pursue in depth. During their second year, they specialise in one area, developing their technical and practical skills and refining them. When you see the dedication and happiness with which these students are learning, there is no doubt that this is a successful model for upper basic education in The Gambia. Future carpenters, metal workers, builders, IT-specialists, tailors and cooks, boys and girls alike, are starting their career here.
The skills that these young people are learning during their three years at the Steinweg Upper Basic School will prepare them either for higher education and/or the labour market with much needed skills. We commend Mr. and Mrs. Steinweg for their vision, dedication and enthusiasm to facilitate and support education in The Gambia, and Headmaster Mr. Felix Sambou for his guidance and leadership.