Find a School

This page contains an alphabetical list of schools and educational establishments in The Gambia with which Pageant is associated. This is followed by a list of UK schools which have helped Gambian schools in association with Pageant. For each entry, there are links to the main pages and news items on the Pageant website. You can use the 'search' button to find all references on our site (including this page!) The [MAP] link shows the school's location as accurately as we know it on a Google map. [map] shows the general area and in many cases we have used the Falling Rain directory to find this location. [map] means we do not know where the school is. If you can give us a more accurate location or correct any errors, then please email me:
 

To find a school, move the mouse pointer over the headings below to show a list of schools in each category. Schools which combine several levels on one site appear in more than one list. To restrict the length of the drop down lists, we sometimes put more than one school on a line, separated by *. Schools listed like this have Pageant sponsored students, but no other formal relationship with Pageant.

Nursery

Lower Basic

Upper Basic

Senior & Adult

UK Schools

The Gambian Education System

Nursery schools & classes Nursery education is not financed by the Gambian state system, and parents must pay fees for attendance and for books etc. Some Lower Basic Schools have nursery classes, and there are separate nursery schools in many areas. These schools are increasing in number all the time, particularly in the western part of The Gambia but also now in the up-country villages.

Lower Basic Schools (LBS) (Also known as Primary Schools) These provide education for 7 to 13 year olds, in Grades 1 to 6. Attendance at the State-run schools is 'free', but the families pay for school fund, books, food, uniform etc.

Upper Basic Schools (UBS) (Also know as Junior Secondary Schools) These provide education for 13 to 16 year olds, in Grades 7 to 9. In the State-run schools girls go 'free' while boys pay tuition fees, but book fees are considerably higher. Also, as there are fewer UB than LB schools, many children either face a very long walk or must pay increased transport costs.

Basic Cycle Schools (BCS) These schools are mainly in rural areas, and combine both LBS and UBS with all Grades from 1 to 9.

Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) (Also known as High Schools) These are equivalent to UK Sixth Form Colleges, and provide education for 16 to 19 year olds, in Grades 10 to 12. Both boys and girls pay fees. The book and exam fees are higher still and the number of SS schools is quite small, making the funding of travelling to school a major consideration.

Further Education Tertiary education in The Gambia is provided by the University of the Gambia, and a number of other post-secondary institutions including the Gambia College (GC), the Gambia Technical Training Institute (GTTI), the Management Development Institute (MDI) and the Gambia Telecommunication and Multi-Media Institute (GTMI), which all provide degree level courses. There are also many Skills Training Centres which provide training in practical, technical and commercial subjects.

More about Schools and Maps

There is a list of schools produced by the Gambian Government, but this doesn't include nurseries or skill centres. The Gambia Resource Page is a website holding a vast range of information about The Gambia. This direct link to their Education Section show you a comprehensive list of the majority of Gambia's schools and colleges. To see the drop in numbers at schools from LBS to SSS, have a look at Region 3, the North Bank Region, which is where Bakalarr is situated.

As well as the Falling Rain directory, already mentioned, Gambia Tourist Support has some large scale maps of The Gambia. Pageant has also produced some Google maps showing the locations of schools in The Gambia where we know their precise position. Select the 'Satellite' view, and in many cases you can zoom in to see the actual buildings.

• Map 1 Banjul City

• Map 2 around Brikama (the South)

• Map 3 around Bakau & Serrekunda

• Map 4 around Abuko

• Map 5 North Bank

• Map 6 Up River

List of Gambian Schools

Abuko LBS Abuko, Kanifing near Banjul
[website]	[Pageant page]		[MAP]	No. sponsored	9	[top]
Abuko Nursery School			[MAP]	No. sponsored	1
Abuko UBS			[MAP]	No. sponsored	8

Abuko is a small village about 10km south-west of Banjul on the way to the International Airport. Abuko Lower Basic School was started as a local initiative, so that the village children did not have to travel 5km to the nearest school. See the main Abuko page above and the following updates:

Albion Lower Basic School was the main beneficiary of a pen and pencil collection, organised by seven year old Oliver in 2007. Read Oliver's story and see some photos taken at Albion on this page.

The above schools have Pageant sponsored students, but otherwise have no formal links with Pageant.

Bakalarr is located north of the Gambia River and is reached from Banjul by ferry to Barra and a 15km road journey. The school serves five local villages, and has Grades from 1 to 9, as well as a nursey class. Pageant has been involved with many projects at this school since 2001. Much of the credit for the huge improvements achieved is down to the enthusiasm and commitment of its headmaster Mr Bakary Gitteh, who visited us in the UK in 2005. There is a summary on the Bakalarr projects page with more details on the following pages:

Pageant helped Bakau New Town Lower Basic School with its vegetable garden in 2003, and it has been used as a base for unpacking containers. Though the school doesn't have any major Pageant projects at the moment, there are several sponsored children.

The above schools have Pageant sponsored students, but otherwise have no formal links with Pageant.

The above schools have Pageant sponsored students, but otherwise have no formal links with Pageant.

This nursery school was set up as a local initiative, on land donated by the village mosque. Pageant is funding the completion of building work, to render the walls, lay concrete floors and fit doors and windows.

The Busambala schools have Pageant sponsored students, but otherwise have no formal links with Pageant. However, Pageant is associated with the Women's Group in Busumbala.

Campama Lower Basic School was brought to Pageant's attention in February 2007 because of its poor state of repair. See the main Campama page for details of this visit and the second Campama page for details of the visit in October 2007. In February 2008 Pippa's niece, Frances, and some friends spent a couple of days teaching the children at Campama. In April 2008, Pageant unloaded a container of furniture and school equipment at Campama - see Pageant News blog.

Crab Island Upper Basic School is located just south of the centre of Banjul, on the river side of the peninsula. See the main Crab Island page above and also the following updates:

The above schools have Pageant sponsored students, but otherwise have no formal links with Pageant.

Essau is on the north bank of the Gambia River, opposite Banjul, and close to the ferry terminal. This school received a Science Kit from Collier's School in February 2006, organised a Science Fair in September 2006 and was the venue for one of the Practical Science Seminars in February 2007.

This school has Pageant sponsored students, but otherwise has no formal links with Pageant.

The Foundation for Disabled People has a workshop which produces specialised all terrain wheelchairs and trains disabled people to build, maintain and repair wheelchairs. It also runs a computer training centre for people with a physical handicap. The Foundation supplied one of its special wheelchairs to Sarjo, one of Pageant's sponsored students (see Sarjo's wheelchair) and Pageant funded a further batch of 15 wheelchairs for disabled students from different regions of The Gambia.

This school has Pageant sponsored students, and has received a lot of educational materials through Pageant.

Gambia Senior Secondary School (Gambia High School) in Banjul was visited twice in November 2005 - see 1st visit - 2nd visit. It received a Science Kit from Collier's School in February 2006 and was the venue for one of the Practical Science Seminars in February 2007. It was helped extensively by Keith Farrington, see news item March 2006.

The above schools have Pageant sponsored students, but otherwise have no formal links with Pageant.

GTMI is primarily the training wing of the Gambia Telecommunications Company (Gamtel), but it also takes fee paying students. Its program includes science and technology related areas. Pageant has sponsored students at GTMI

GTTI provides two and three year craft, technician and business training programmes leading to certificates or diplomas in Business Studies, Computer Studies, Accountancy, Engineering and Construction. It received a Science Kit from Collier's School in February 2006 and was the venue for an offshoot of the Practical Science Seminars in February 2007 when Joe Brock taught a lesson at one of the Automotive Engineering classes. Pageant has several students who are attending or have completed GTTI courses.

The above schools have Pageant sponsored students, but otherwise have no formal links with Pageant.

Jarreng is more than 150 km east of Banjul, on the south side of the Gambia River. Jarreng Basic Cycle School received a microscope in 2002,and then took part in a microscopy competition. It was visited in 2003 and Pageant helped the headmaster set up a chicken farming project. However, the conditions proved to be too hot for successfully rearing of chickens and the building has been put to alternative uses. The most recent visit by Pageant was in February 2008. Jarreng is now in the process of adding SS grades, so by 2010 will teach the complete range of Grades 1-12.

The above schools have Pageant sponsored students, but otherwise have no formal links with Pageant.

JJT Nursery School is in Serrekunda a few km west of central Banjul. Pageant member Aris Harrison-Price coordinates assistance given to this school by Nuneaton Lions Club, Ashby Castle Rotary Club, Coleman Primary School and other organisations in the Leicester area.

Jurunku is a village on the north bank of the Gambia River, about 15 km east of Bakalarr. Pageant has been involved in several projects at this school and Pageant member Jon Quinnell and Lamin Jammeh, a young man from Jurunku village, have organised much of the work at this school.

The above schools have Pageant sponsored students, but otherwise have no formal links with Pageant.

The King's Kid Academy (KKA) was founded about 10 years ago by a Nigerian missionary, to provide nursery education. Pageant started helping this school in 2006. There are two Pageant pages. The first page covers 2006-2007, and the second page covers 2008 onwards. Funds have been raised by teams in Plymouth-Banjul Challenge - Desert Mice & First to the Bar in 2007 and Transplant Titans in 2008. Students from Oakham School (UK) and Copenhagen International School are funding a new toilet block in July 2008, as part of the Toilets and Textbooks project.

KMJ Nursery School is in Wellingara, at the southern end of Serrekunda. Pageant first visited this school briefly in October 2003, then in February 2006 and again in February 2007. Again in February 2007, Pageant member Tina Boswell carried out an Art Project there. In February 2008, Tina's daughter, Frances, and some friends spent several days teaching the children.

The above schools have Pageant sponsored students, but otherwise have no formal links with Pageant.

Life Nursery School was first visited in October 2003 and on several other occasions to visit Pageant-sponsored children.

The above school has Pageant sponsored students, but otherwise has no formal links with Pageant.

Mahmoud Achten Nursery School is in Fagikunda a suburb of Serrekunda. John Emery and Jane Bull started helping this school in February 2007, and achieved some great improvements, but a lot still needs t