The Rotary Club of Brusubi, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Edmonds in the United States, the MRC Holland Foundation, and the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, launched high-quality Science Laboratories built in Kaur and Basse, respectively, under a project called “Bridge to success.”
These physics, biology, and chemistry science laboratories at Kaur Senior Secondary School and the Gambia College Teachers’ College Annex in Basse, respectively, will enhance the learning and teaching of pure science subjects in rural schools.
Officials say the Rotary Clubs of Brusubi and Edmonds purchased the lab equipment for $69,000. The MRC Holland Foundation provided the building, while the Basic Education Ministry is committing to providing resources for the teachers and the general running of the labs.
At Kaur, speakers, including Ahmed Jeng Sey, Principal of Kaur Senior School, Mustapha Njie, Alkalo of Kaur Wharf Town, and Sang B. Correa, Principal Education Officer One of Region 5 respectively, said the lack of a standard science lab made teaching and learning difficult, which resulted in poor performance.
Dominic Gomez, President of the Brusubi Rotary Club, said this pilot project is one of the most significant projects successfully implemented by the Brusubi Rotary Club.
Maggie Peterson, past President and international chair of the Rotary Club of Edmonds, said this intervention supports the government’s efforts to realize quality learning of the sciences in rural Gambia.
At the Gambia Teachers’ College Annex in Basse, just as in Kaur, similar sentiments of gratitude are expressed by Matarr Ceesay, College Coordinator, who is hopeful that the labs will help enhance the knowledge of these teacher trainees, who will go on to become science teachers at different schools.
Henrietta Sonko, Country Coordinator, MRC Holland Foundation and member of the Brusubi Rotary Club; Lamin PF Manneh, past President and foundation chair of the Rotary Club of Edmonds; and Suzanne James, president-elect of the Rotary Club of Edmonds, says science and technology are critical to the development of every country, however, they believe this cannot be achieved without quality teachers.
Rotary clubs are groups of volunteers or people from different walks of life that come together to impact their communities by implementing projects to help them such as these.
Established in 2016, the Brusubi Rotary Club, the third Rotary Club in The Gambia, after Banjul and Fajara Rotary Clubs, is a member of the Rotary International. It is a secular organization open to all people regardless of race, color, religion, gender, or political affiliation, but not without compromising high ethical standards.
The Gambia and nine other countries constitute District 9101 of Rotary International.
