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Questions for Director Region 6

 

1.       Can you introduce yourself to our readers?

My name is Claudiana A. Cole, Regional Education Director Region Six (6) Upper River Region, Basse.  I am a Gambian and was born in Banjul.  I attended Wesley Primary School, St Joseph’s High School and went on to the Yundum College where I obtained a Primary Teachers’ Certificate.  I taught for several years and rose to the position of Headmistress before being offered a scholarship to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in the UK.  On my return I was deployed to FAWE GAM where I assisted the coordinator in the promotion of Girls’ education.

 

I was later recalled to the Ministry where I Headed the then Girls’ Education Unit, now Gender Education Unit.  After a short spell I was fortunate to win another scholarship which took me back to the UK for my Masters’ Degree and on my return I was posted to Region Six.   

 

2.       When did you assume the position of director of this region?

I assumed the position of Regional Director of Region Six (6) in July 2010 after acting in that capacity for about two years.

 

3.       What is it like to be director of R6?

It’s quite a challenging task.  Being the farthest Region and an area where conventional education was not so much embraced because of poverty, socio-cultural and religious beliefs and misconceptions about western education, a lot of sensitization and awareness creation had to be conducted to increase enrolment and get schools to where they are today in terms of participation especially for girls for the attainment of parity at both the Lower and Upper Basic School level.

 

4.       What are the most difficult issues you have faced as director?

The most difficult issues I have faced as Director are issues of teacher supply and retention as well as students’ retention and completion to higher grades in the Lower Basic Schools, transition from Lower to Upper Basic and from Upper Basic to Senior Secondary School.  There are issues of early and forced marriages as well and when these come to my knowledge I have to intervene for parents to leave the girls to continue their education without interruption.  Sometimes we are aware of the problem early and that gives us the opportunity to intervene before the marriage takes place, at other times the issue comes to our notice quite late and we only come to know when the marriage had already taken place. 

 

5.       What were your targets for this region?

My targets for the Region were to increase girls’ enrolment at all levels that is at the Lower Basic, Upper Basic and Senior Secondary.  I also had a target to see performance improve at all levels as well, putting Region Six on the map as a performing Region.  I wanted also to see the number of qualified and female teachers increase in the Region.  

 

6.       What are your successes as Director of Region 6?

My successes as Director of Region Six could be considered in several areas.  These range from boosting the morale and commitment of teachers through the annual Regional Teachers’ Award ceremony at which teachers are recognized and appreciated for their commitment, dedication and change of attitude to work, improvement in students’ performance in the GABEC and WASSE; students in remote schools like Foday Kunda Basic Cycle and Diabugu Upper Basic School in Region Six are now scoring aggregates 10, 14, 15 & 16 in GABEC and students in Nasir, Diabugu and Fatoto Senior Secondary Schools attaining as much as 9 and 6 credits in WASSE.  There is also increased community participation especially through the Mothers’ Clubs and SMCs in school management and furthermore an increase in the number of female teachers in leadership positions in a particularly male dominated environment.  

 

 

7.       Would you consider teacher and human resource availability a big problem in the region? If so how big a problem is it?

Honestly, this used to be a big problem, but in the last three years there has been some improvement with the advent of the hardship allowance and provision of teachers’ accommodation.  These are all incentives to attract teachers to the rural and difficult areas.  But even with all this some teachers are still finding it difficult to take up posting in the Regions especially in Region six which is considered as very far and remote.  The unavailability of core subject teachers is a great constraint and this has had an impact on performance of students over the years.  While keeping female teachers in the Region has indeed been another extremely difficult issue as they always ask to be released on marriage grounds and family reasons amongst others.      

 

8.       How do you think it can be addressed?

It may be difficult to say, but I think it could be addressed by enforcing the postings policy which may also prove very challenging to implement in some peculiar circumstances.  For example, in the case of a female teacher, whose marriage is about to fall apart or where the rural posting of a mother is going to affect the welfare of her children.  Otherwise we may have to leave it to time when attitudes would change towards rural postings.

 

9.       What other problems do you face which make your work difficult?

Like I alluded to earlier, the dropout or withdrawal of girls from school as a result of teenage pregnancy and early or forced marriages are some of my main challenges.  The poor attitude to work of a handful of teachers also makes my work very difficult.  Notwithstanding, I always try to find ways to tackle the problems and usually come out with positive results through awareness creation and negotiations especially in cases of early/forced marriages, where parents would change their decisions and leave the girls to continue their education.  For teenage pregnancies, the re-entry policy is usually applied to get the girls back to school and they end up performing very well coming out with as impressive as six credits in the WASSE. 

   

10.   You are one of the many women in the sector in leadership positions. Do you think your likes will serve as role models to others?

Obviously I do.  People like me have been inspired by females in leadership positions and I believe we can also be role models for young female teachers and even the girls in schools.  That’s the reasons why I encourage, motivate and do my best to inspire female teachers and school girls in my Region to be confident and be their best in all they do.

 

11.   There have been many positive developments in the sector of recent. What do you make of such developments?

All the recent developments in the sector are geared towards improving the sector in our quest to provide quality education for our main clients; the students.  The numerous capacity building of teachers, the strategy to improve reading abilities of children through the EGRA, SEGRA and teaching of local languages in the early grades to enhance learning, the school performance monitoring amongst others are all being undertaken to a view to improving performance which is one of our main mandate as an education sector.

   

12.   How can those developments be strengthened?

Effective and efficient school management, dissemination of skills and knowledge gained from trainings and workshops, follow-up and continuous monitoring are key strategies that we can use to strengthen all that is being done to improve the system.  Regular monitoring of schools by Regional and Headquarter Directorates as well as the Regional Coordinating Committee Meetings (CCMs) can all go a long way in ensuring sustainability of our developmental efforts.

 

13.   How can your region help in this regard?

My Region can contribute its quota in strengthening the developments by undertaking all the above as well as strengthening community participation in the schools to makes sure things are being done as expected.

 

14.   What would you want to achieve in this region in the next five years?

My vision for the Region is to see a region where well trained, motivated teachers, working in high performing schools will enable learners to achieve and excel in their pursuit of knowledge and skills that would prepare them and enhance their contribution to national development.

 

15.   What are your final words to our readers?

My final words are please have an enjoyable reading and do not hesitate to send in your own contributions to help us enrich the newsletter.  

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