By Yunus S Saliu
The senior officials of the International Development Research Center (IDRC) Canada earlier this week arrived in The Gambia on a weeklong working visit to partner in the Gambia implementing the quality Comprehensive Health Education (CHE) programme to assess the impact of the ongoing Strengthening Access to Quality Health Education project in The Gambia.
Strengthening Access to Quality Comprehensive Health Education project in The Gambia for in-and-out-of-school children is an implementation research project conducted by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education funded by the International Development Research Center (IDRC), Canada.
The officials of the IDRC to The Gambia is headed by Madam Marie-Gloriose Ingabire, the Senior Program Specialist of International Development Research Center (IDRC) Canada, and during her stay, she has been taking on a conducted tour by Madam Phebian Ina Grant Sagnia, the Principal Investigator for the Comprehensive Health Education (CHE) research project to meet different stakeholders.
As the visit continued, among other stakeholders visited included the Gambia First Lady Her Excellency Fatoumatta Bah Barrow, Madam Claudiana Cole, Minister of Basic Secondary Education (MoBSE); various Ministries including Ministries of Health, Gender, and Women’s Affairs, UNFPA, Special needs Schools – St John’s School for the Deaf, GOVI, Methodist, and St Theresa Upper Basic Schools, community members, NGOs, CSOs.
However, on her visit to the Curriculum Research, Evaluation and Development Directorate (CREDD) at the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MoBSE), on Wednesday, Madam Marie Gloriose Ingabire in a meeting with staff of the unit led by Mr. Momodou Jeng, Director of CREDD thanked the implementing partner for a job well done.
She apologized for taking much time to come and visit after the start of the project but quickly added that it was due to the pandemic Covid-19 which “we all faced which didn’t allow us to meet as we have wished.”
Meanwhile, she said her coming is timely as the project is progressing “so I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart because not only that you come but you came to share your time with us concerning the project, thank you so much,” Madam Ingabire thanked everyone.
She further showed delight, saying, “thank you because I have seen the reports from the project and I have been receiving them regularly.”
She added that their engagement and commitment have made each one of them an ambassador, and leader in their organization as a leader in their capacities because this project we talk about “I am convinced that you now know more about it. And as Mr. Jeng mentioned it wouldn’t have happened nor has impact without you all.”
The IDRC Senior Program Specialist reiterated that it is a collective project that requires the need to engage everybody, every stakeholder from the community level, family, parents, kids, religious and elected leaders, and the relevant ministries because “everybody needs to come together to contribute to this.”
Finally, she expressed joy for the acceptance of the project saying IDRC will continue giving modest support while encouraging them to be proud of their achievement on the project.
However, she gave a brief background of IDRC whose role is meant to support research for development.
Speaking earlier, Mommodu Jeng, Director of CREDD said the meeting is meant to allow the partner to dialogue and further collaborate.
He shed light on the CHE saying lots of sensitizations on different aspects were done in the past and are still ongoing while he dilated on different methods taken.
The CREDD director encouraged the stakeholders not to relent in their efforts while he thanked Madam Ingabire and the delegation for taking time to visit not just the Gambia but the implementing partner and as well assured her of their continuity in playing their (MoBSE) role accordingly.
Madam Phebian Ina Grant Sagnia, the Principal Investigator for the Comprehensive Health Education (CHE) research project introduced all present stakeholders working with the project to the IDRC Senior Program Specialist.
The principal investigator, therefore, called for general and open remarks from all participants to allow them to have interactions with the IDRC officials before bringing the meeting to an end.
