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Education in The Gambia
Since we are studying Africa as our class topic this term I thought I should ask a very good friend of mine, Alison Gee who is living and teaching in The Gambia, if she'd like to help us.
I sent Alison an email today, asking if she would be able to respond to our questions about life and education in The Gambia. Alison works in a town called Banjul.
I hope Alison will be able to say a few words about herself and why she is teaching in Africa. However, she may have some difficulties because access to the Internet is difficult where she works.
In the meantime, please think of some questions that you could ask Alison about life in The Gambia. Alison might also be able to send us some photographs of things you might like to see. Your task is post your questions to this blog page, by clicking on the 'add new comment' button.
Here is one of Alison's photographs that she sent some weeks ago.
What questions would you like to ask Alison?
Comments
Alison
Hi, I am writing this from my office in Banjul in an area called 'Half Die'. When I asked why it was called this, they looked at me as if I were stupid! It is because, at one time, half the people who lived there died from the plague. My office is on the second floor and I look down on a street which leads to the ferry that crosses the River Gambia. A couple of weeks ago there was great excitement as the cars taking part in the Plymouth - Banjul challenge arrived. It was very strange to see so many 'toubabs'! This is what anyone who is not a black African is called - the children call it all the time.
One of the different things here is the number of public holidays. There are some, like Christmas and New Year that we know about, others are announced by The President for a variety of reasons. The last Public Holiday we had was for his first son's naming ceremony! There is a local election tomorrow, so, there might be a holiday, we do not know yet.
In any case, I am going to Dakar on Friday for a long weekend. Dakar is the capital of Senegal. Some of you might be following the football - Africa Cup of Nations. Senegal qualified and are playing tonight. Senegal is french speaking and surrounds The Gambia.
So, I might not be on line again for a week but I look forward to lots of questions on my return from Senegal.
Alison
Dajon and Shannon
Hello Alison
Thank you very much for writing to us. We hope you have a good weekend. What is the weather like there now? It is cold and cloudy here.
What do you do in Africa? Do you do support a football or rugby team?
alison
Dajon and Shannon
It is the dry season here in The Gambia, it is also North of the Equator so it is 'winter'. The weather during the day is hot, as I write this the temperature must be above 35 degrees celsius. At night it is cooler, about 2 weeks ago, I needed a cover but now it is too hot to even have a sheet over you.
The days often start off cloudy, but by midday, the sky is blue and the sun is shining.
I am working at the Department of Education in Banjul as a curriculum adviser. I was supporting Zambia in the Africa Cup of Nations but they have been knocked out.
Alison
Rebecca
Hi Alison my name is Rebecca and iI saw all the pictures what you gave us and that I want to ask you a questiion. What is the weather like in Africa because I bet it is very hot and sometimes in the year it is cold and that is that a real lamb standing on there.
Rebecca
Alison Gee
The weather here in The Gambia, is hot and dry. It is the dry season, the daylight starts around 7 and it gets dark around the same time, as we are near the equator the day lasts around 12 hours all the year round. Over Christmas I needed a light blanket at night, but it has already started to warm up and the blanket is no longer needed. It is hot in the day but cooler at night at the moment. The sun shines for most of the day and the sky is blue. At night, there are lots of stars as there are no street lights where I live.
The picture is of a real goat - reaching up to eat from the tree.
Hoping this answers there questions . . .
Keep them coming, I will answer, but not straightaway as it is difficult to access the internet here.
Alison
Jonathan
Hello Alison
What medasins and things to see would you recamend in Gambia.Where would you recmand to stay and what transpot would you yse.
Alison
Those are huge questions!
Medicines - you must take anti malarial tablets. Cerebral malaria is a big problem here. The anti malarials will not stop you getting malaria, but when you get it then you are not so ill and are mush less likely to die. Lots of babies and children die here from malaria as they have no anti malarials and no mosquito nets. I take a drug called Larium, once a week. There are some unpleasant side effects but I seem to be avoiding most of them. Some of my VSO colleagues have had malaria already, they were very ill and it is not good at all, but they are all alright after treatment.
Before I came, VSO made me have Yellow Fever, Rabies, Hepatitis A and B. All the usual ones, like Typhoid, were also updated so I am as well protected as possible. I am very lucky, the people who like here do not have this level of protection and it is very sad when your colleague's children die from preventable diseases. I find this one of the hardest things to cope with as we have lose children at home, but not so needlessly. To be honest, I nearly came home one week as everyone in my office seemed to be away at a close relative's funeral, we lost a wife, 2 fathers and a child in one week. There are only ten people in my office.
Where to stay? There are lots of hotels here.The Gambia is a tourist destination and indeed, it brings in more money than any other industry. The hotels range from 5* luxury hotels to really grotty places - you would not want to stay in some. Most are fine, and visitors have a good time here, especially around this time as the weather is good and it is cold back home!
Transport - there is no public transport. There are however private 'bush taxis' that operate set routes for set fares. So, I work in Banjul and travel from Bakau in a gelegele, this is a van and holds the driver and passenger in the front seat, then 3 or 4 in the next 2 rows and 4 in the back seat. Goats and sheep travel on top along with any other sundry items. Being in the back seat is no fun, the vehicles are all rejects from Europe. Sometimes I think I must be mad climbing into one of them!
There are also smaller taxis that hold 4 people and cost the same amount on certain routes.Or you can get a town trip and negotiate a fare with the driver. Hope this answers your questions!
Megan C
Hello Alison my name is Megan.
Is the Gambia a poor country?
And if it is do you miss the stuff that we have in england compared to what they have in the Gambia?
Is that a real goat on the motor bike?
What's the name of the school that you teach?
From Megan C
Mr Furness
Is the Gambia a poor country?
And if it is do you miss the stuff that we have in england compared to what they have in the Gambia?
Wow that's a great question. Would love to know the answer to that. Hopefully Alison will email back if the Internet isn't too slow for her today.
Mr Furness
Megan C
Thank You!
Alison
The Gambia is a very poor country. The HDI (Human Development Index) is used to compare the relative wealth of all the countries in the world. Ask Mr Furness about it and maybe consider what you think should be included in such an index. The Gambia is 155 out of 177 - so it is relatively very poor which is why VSO send volunteers here.
I miss having reliable electricity and water. When it is really hot and you cannot have a shower then you appreciate the simple things of life! I am in a house with electric, but the electricity is very unreliable and can go down for hours on end. I always have candles and matches handy.
I miss the NHS - I never thought I would say that! The hospital in Banjul, where some of my VSO colleagues work, has no water at the moment. Just stop, re read that, a hospital with no water. Consider the implications . . .
I do not work in a school here, although I do visit them. I work in the Department of Education, in the capital city. I advise them about Education - in particular, curriculum. Again, Mr Furness can tell you what that means!