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2/28/1980 - The Failing System by Bowden S. Quinn

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITER S CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Uncle Joe Guest House P O Box Banjul The Gambia The Failing System February Mr Peter Bird Martin Institute Current World Affairs Wheelock House West Wheelock Street Hanover New Hampshire Dear Peter In beginning three times still almost daily I narrow residential streets Banjul young slumped against compound slightly shaded calls The first question almost always usually phrased From where When I answer I United States faces mixture emotions surprise because white people British expatriates Scandinavian tourists friendliness because Gambians hospitable respect because U S thought powerful opportunity reason These mingled feelings expressed smile recognition knowing voice Ah America If conversation lasts moments inter locutor often connection States usually either relative attending school country plans study there I young friend Karamou Sonko Mandinka youth village ninety miles upriver intelligent gifted writer fifth would senior class The Gambia prestigious secondary school St Augustine High School His situation illus trative perhaps typical problems facing The Gambia eucated young people He written several schools U S asking information entrance requie ments financial sc1ools ranging caliber Bethune Cookman College Daytona Beach Yale University As deterred following schools replies their application Karamou uncle years older intended school Florida learn 81rcraft mintenance father shortly before leave amilys fortune shrank He storeroom clerk fishing company Banjul Another young uncle Karamou luckier His father still alive relatively hopes leave Boggs Academy Georgia month He school It everything arranged Bowden Quinn Overseas Journalism Fellow Institute studyin colonil influences West African nations His interest education The Gembia Senegal America anything educational opportunity Gambians Its democratic academic offerings schools Negro colleges Ivy League state universities almost everyone chance ealth provides multitude scholarships bound_ employment through school Gambians believe The process optimism however About sixty percent Gambians seekin student U S ected because inadequate financial backing consular attach6 Last eighty eight Gambians received student visas The attache estimated those percent return after undergraduate percent longer masters about percent remain years higher degrees between I percent longer either because highly skilled The Gambia marry violate their visas Even those return ithin twenty years added because buried foreign country Readjusting homeland difficult process A I spent years U S receive master journalism Stanford several months backwardness country speech collection albums leisure pursuits traces American culture He talks going doctorate He Most Gambians never abroad The heart wrenching faith U S typified student I gymnasium Gambia High School other prestigious private secondary school He meticulously copying schoolmate letter college aImission office requesting financial The penmanship sample exemplary content quite ungrammatical This unfounded optimism symbolic entire school system The objective eJucation government Five Year Plan Economic Social Development cannot faulted The primary education create shortest possible available resources stock trained manpower which capable serving socio economic needs country First consideration therefore given those factors which education meaningful whole munity majority which rural culrural Unfortunately viewing school system period comes close I would structural changes necessary accomplish stated attempted The school system remains oriented academic achievement promotion higher levels education fraction those enter primary school school Even those fortunate expectations usually exceed opportunities For others frustration probably outweighs whatever small benefits imper knowledge acquire school The system fails needs society doesn replenish itself Primary school enrollme increased A accepted teacher student increase requires addition about teachers teacher trainlng program Gambia College produces about graduates At primary level shortfalls filled unqualified teachers which often means their knowledge English science little better their students The Gambian educational structure replicateJ British model English expatriates involved system model country abandoned unworkable It works principle udents should sorted fixed intervals their education rather being allowed progress their their speed basic tenet U S As I explained letter students enter primary school which Common Entrance Examination deermine their education should continue App roximately percent admitted school Another percent secondary technical schools which theory vocational facilities esined sudents skills needed commerce industry I materials trained manpower perform fncion student inclined accept consider inferior status tradesman farmer Once embarked secondary scholastic career student objective reach secondary level system provides every opportunity A first secondary technical school younge students again CEE school fourth students grades admitted school third High school intensifies concept education rather process Success measured rades courses nother sorting mechanism refined CEE Joint Examinations School Certificate General Certificate Education ordinary level advanced level As yoking Canadian teacher St Augustine plained entire curriculum advanced students program eared GCE When I attended class teachin students write letter single style accepted West African Examinations Council style which required minute letter writing ection compulsory English language GCE level examina almost years The examinations merit The West African Exam inations Council which administers about British West African institutions established colonial administrations forms slender thread unity African ntions which I think important The council keeps curriculum pertinent African needs Shakespeare still required reading emphasized tests apparently sudents Bard willing struggle through vocabulary requirements WAEC examinations international recognition marks GCE entitle student acceptance British university The problem number Gambian students receiving grades depressingly almost sciences This least partially especially sciences shortage materials Almost laboratory schools because money spend supplies The acute shortage Oambians qualified teach science resulting dependence expatriates probably factors From observations limited three seven schools quality instruction expatriates mediocre tainted inadequate training seemed Peace Corps science teacher whose class I attended alistic expectations students abilities understandable teacher raised trained sophisticated society descending attitude evidence exclusive St Augustine where almos staff foreigners The teacher I fifteen whose classes I attended Gambian biology teacher The quality three other Gambians I viewed seemed neither above below expatriates Another complaint I heard about GCE formity conditions students memorize think question An extreme example fifth African histoxy class I attended taught intel ligent undedicated Ghanaian whose students persuaded lectures slowly enough could their notebooks though textbooks study To class represents emphasis results instead learning which defeats purpose educa reveals arrogance complacency which system breeds students The government called improvement primary school teaching corps revised curriculum education valuable those children secondary school system geared advancement students continue their United States anywhere university training continue further further their homes people their education supposed Education important tions society provide society trained manpower needs members together remains strong I think present system completely latter function I think should changed plugged community every level instead being conduit removal talented fortunate barrier rising frustration I subject later letter Best regards Bowden Quinn