Madrasah Education in the Gambia: Assessment and Measures of Improvement

Abstract

My research topic is Madrasah Education in the Gambia: Assessment and Measures of Improvement. A study of Madrasah education assessment in the Gambia was conducted to find out the answers as to whether the situation of Madrasah education is in the desired level of improvement. The contribution to the educational development, the level of employability of graduates in the Gambia labour environment and suggested measures that can improve the situation of Madrasah institutions in the Gambia. This shall call the attentions of concern authorities to reflect on the critical issues affecting the progress of the institutions. The thesis aims at a comprehensive understanding of how Madrasah institutions are operating since their inception in the Gambia and the complexed issues surrounding them. This draws on multiple theoretical understandings in order to gain visualized challenges relating to Madrasah education in the country. This study is a survey research that adopted qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate theories of Madrasah education and its emergence in the Gambia including issues relating to personnel managing the institutions, quality of teachers, syllabus, learning materials, technical support, and source of funding which are all employed to structure the data collection. The interviews, questionnaires and observation were all conducted and data obtained were used to analyse the awareness of people on sweltering issues existing in the Madrasah system. During the course of this study, it has been established that Madrasah institutions enrol nearly 20% of children of school going age in the Gambia. Madrasah institutions are found to be poorly managed guided by an unreliable and inadequate syllabus and weak assessment mechanisms that would produce products with little role to play in the challenges of their community. Moreover, since government does not provide the required support to Madrasah in the Gambia, participants in the Madrasah system have to rely on Islamic charity organizations both locally and internationally. Two major players are influencing the system, AMANAH (government representative) and international Islamic charity organizations. AMANA focuses on content and professional development and charities provide funding and infrastructure development. Amana examines the experience of management on strategic document and filing system and recommend new approaches to Madrasah development LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS UNESCO United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization UNICEF United Nations Children Fund. MoBSE Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education. IDB Islamic Development Bank UPE Universal Primary Education TABLE OF CONTENT TITLE PAGE i CERTIFICATION ii