By Adama Makasuba
Dr Cherno Omar Barry, President of the International Open University Gambia, Saturday, April 2nd launched a new book titled – A Brief History of Education in The Gambia, the launching was held at Penchami Hall, Kololi.
The launch brought together top educationists, both national and international diplomats and students who all thanked Dr Barry for his commitment in national development and stance to rejuvenate the educational sector through authoring books.
Speaking at the launch Dr Cherno Omar Barry, urged Gambians to take up the responsibility to write the country’s history in a bid for better understanding.
He said: “It’s important therefore to have a book like this. It’s not yet complete there is a lot to come on board. We have the issue of TVET that will come, we have the issue of non-formal and formal education that will come. We have the issue of madrasas.”
“So, we need to write all these things so that people will understand this context. From there now, we will know how to form the policies, we will know where we have our challenges so that we can build on where we have our strength and find solutions to our problems,” he added.
“Writing is very important as mentioned by various speakers. If we don’t write our history somebody else will write it for us. And then they will not tell us the history the way we understand it. There is so much to write when it comes to our own history. So, I think it is important for us to start writing our own history. Today we’ve focused on education, we could write on health, agriculture, we could write on youth and sports and women and children,” he outlined various areas.
Meanwhile, Nana Grey Johnson thanked Dr Barry for writing this important book and urged others to emulate him in writing books about the country.
“We have the opportunity to recreate our education. I want you to go to your pillows with this singular mind of liberation of African minds. This mind is still enslaved,” he urged.
Other speakers included Shiekh Ousanou Touray, Aja Maimuna Savage, Hassoum Ceesay, PS Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Lousi Moses Mendy and Muhammed Jallow, a Gambian diplomat.
