The Vice President Muhammed BS Jallow has stood before the entire Gambia to spread falsehood and undermine teachers and education. Not only has he misinformed and misled the National Assembly, an act amounting to contempt, but also disrespected teachers and deceived the public, thereby bringing the Office of the Vice President into disrepute. Such dishonesty and incompetence demand accountability. Instead, his office issued an even more deceitful press release to shamefully defend the indefensible!
If the Vice President were truly mindful of his past as claimed in this obnoxious press statement, particularly his tenure at the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, he would understand the real plight of teachers. He would know that it is both inaccurate and unjust to stand in the National Bantaba and portray teachers as liars or pretenders. Such remarks grossly misrepresent their reality, deny their dire working and living conditions, and undermine legitimate demands for better welfare.
This misrepresentation has serious policy consequences. When lawmakers, who determine national budgets, are led to believe that teachers are among the highest-paid public servants, what incentive remains to allocate increased funding for teacher welfare? This is not merely rhetoric but more seriously, it directly affects resource allocation and the future of education in this country.
It is even more troubling given that during his time at MoBSE, studies conducted under his leadership highlighted the poor salaries and difficult conditions faced by teachers. Those conditions have not fundamentally changed. How then can VP Jallow now claim before lawmakers that teachers are not telling the truth about their poor salaries because they are among the best paid in the public sector?
Such statements do not only undermine teachers, but they also weaken the entire education system. A poorly paid and demoralized teacher cannot deliver quality education. In effect, this is a disservice to Gambian children and the nation’s future.
The honourable course would have been simple: issue a clear apology, withdraw the false statement, and commit to truthfulness going forward. Instead, we have seen deflection, condescending references to past associations used as a shield. Everyone has a past, but if that past did not guide you to tell the truth today, you cannot now invoke it to sanitize falsehood.
Public office demands integrity, humility, and decency. In any society that values honour and accountability, the Vice President would do the needful and resign without delay to preserve what remains of his reputation. Our history offers better examples with leaders who stepped aside not out of compulsion, but out of principle. Sheriff Mustapha Dibba did it in 1971 when his brother was involved in some dubious activity. Where, then, have dignity, honour, and decency gone in the Gambia?
Therefore, will Vice President Muhammed BS Jallow resign in upholding his dignity, integrity, and honour?
For The Gambia, Our Homeland
