Gambia Schools Support’s (GSS) purpose is to make a substantial contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.2’s aim which is that all children have access to quality early childhood education and care by 2030.
GSS currently assists 13 community nursery schools with 1,795 pupils (age 2-7), 51 qualified teachers and 24 trainees (rapid growth from 1 school in Jan 2021).
GSS does not own the schools, our approach is to help them become self-reliant centres of excellence.
To receive GSS assistance, the schools must adhere to best practices:
- class size max 35 pupils, each taught by a qualified teacher
- safeguarding policies properly implemented
- all teachers must attend the GSS’s bespoke ‘Teacher Training and Development
Program’ - work with our ‘on the job’ coaching and inspection/monitoring team
- demonstrate good accounting, administration and governance.
In return GSS pays for and ensures:
- well maintained and equipped buildings, toilets and classrooms
- full supplies of teaching materials, educational toys and playground equipment
- contributes 70% of the cost of the staff’s remuneration
The GSS project is implemented by the ‘Good Schools Project Charity’ an organisation registered under the Gambian Companies Act 2013. It has 8 executive members who are a tried and tested team with expertise in education, construction, finance and administration. It is well led and has demonstrated that it is an effective service provider, capable of delivering GSS’s projects to a high standard.
Updated May 2025
Why support GSS? Here are some good reasons:
1. The need is large. The Gambia is one of the World’s poorest countries (174 of 193 UN Human Development Index). Early years education is crucial but only 50% of Gambian children attend school and generally the schools are not fit for purpose. A UNICEF survey found that only 4% of pupils arriving at their Primary schools were ‘ready’ for primary level.
2. We are training teachers to become excellent. GSS operates one of the most advanced teacher training programs in the country through regular 2-dqy workshops and ‘on the job’ follow up coaching from a team of 3 trained coach/inspectors who visit the schools. We also pay for the most promising trainees to qualify at Gambia College. This program is run by our project leader who is one of the foremost ECD educators in The Gambia.
3. We measure the outcomes. The Head Teachers (13) and Qualified Teachers (50) are appraised at the end of each term. The teaching is shown to be improving steadily term by term.
UN SDG Indicator 4.2.1. Importantly, we are now assessing the development of each child over their career at pre-primary through the adoption of the UNICEF ECDI2030 (Early Child Development Index). After a successful pilot, this is being rolled out at all the schools and the results included in our termly reports.
4. A strong track record. GSS’s impact has grown rapidly, increasing the schools we assist to 13 since 2021. All these schools had either effectively failed, were struggling or had uncertain future, the exception was the Brufut ECD which GSS founded (Jun 21 in JV with the Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education ‘MoBSE’).
We restore, equip and turn around each school until they are thriving. Many of these schools had experienced years of neglect, mismanagement with unhappy poorly paid teachers. The teachers now feel valued and invested in – their morale has soared along with their teaching skills.
5. Successful partnering. GSS recognises the importance of building partnerships with charities with similar or complimentary aims. We also work particularly closely with the Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education (MoBSE).
6. GSS is well run. GSS has no overheads, every penny is spent in The Gambia. GSS is lean, efficient and ambitious.
We have built a platform from which we intend to scale the project and make a significant contribution to early years education provision in The Gambia.