By: Kebba Ansu Manneh
The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) has issued a firm directive prohibiting students from attending court proceedings while wearing school uniforms, Permanent Secretary Louis Moses Mendy has announced.
In an exclusive interview with The Alkamba Times, Mendy stated that the ministry will soon issue a formal communique to all regional directors instructing schools to prevent any student from appearing in court dressed in uniform. The statement comes amid growing public concern following the high turnout of students from Jamisa, Mahad, and Kabafita Upper Basic Schools during the ongoing trial of Ebrima Jatta, a teacher and Grade 11 student at Yunus English School in Busumbala.
“We will communicate to all schools once they reopen to ensure that students are not allowed to go to court in uniform,” Mendy said. “Going to court is not the ideal and expected behaviour of students. Yes, I know they may want to show solidarity, but it would be better if they were not in uniform. We will not accept that.”
Mendy emphasized that while the ministry may not have the authority to stop students from attending court in civilian clothes, it will strictly enforce the uniform ban. “Both schools and regional authorities will be alerted to take note of any student going to court in uniform,” he added. “No student should go to court wearing a uniform.”
The Permanent Secretary also addressed concerns about teachers working double shifts across different schools. He clarified that government teachers are prohibited from teaching double shifts at any institution other than the school to which they are officially posted.
“Engaging in double-shift teaching in different schools is totally unacceptable for government teachers,” Mendy stated. He acknowledged that some teachers in private schools have been practicing the arrangement, but warned that it compromises their ability to serve students and school administrations effectively.
He further noted that certain teachers in private and government-subvented schools manipulate their timetables to enable double shifts in different locations, describing the practice as unacceptable. “Double shift is only effective if one is confined to one school, not in different schools, especially when those schools are in different communities,” Mendy concluded.
The ministry’s directives are expected to be formally circulated to schools ahead of the next academic session.
