11/08/2026
𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐊 𝐔𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋 𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓
For the past few weeks, reports have been widely circulated concerning an incident at Buduck Upper and Senior Secondary School in the Nianija District of the Central River Region North (CRR-North). The incident reportedly resulted in the transfer of several staff members from the school.
The Gambia Teachers’ Union (GTU) received a complaint letter from one of the affected staff members. Subsequently, the GTU Regional Executive Committee in Region 5 North conducted a preliminary investigation into the matter and submitted its report to the Office of the General Secretary.
Following a review of the reports, the National Executive Committee of the GTU sanctioned a three-member panel to conduct a further investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and the subsequent transfers.
The panel, chaired by the Second Vice President of the GTU, comprised the Deputy General Secretary and the Youth Coordinator of the GTU Young Teachers Platform in CRR-North.
On 7 August 2026, the panel met with some of the affected staff members to hear their accounts and establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and their subsequent transfers.
Following the engagement, the panel prepared and submitted its findings and recommendations. Among the transfers identified were:
𝐎𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐌. 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦, 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐔𝐁𝐒/𝐒𝐒𝐒 → 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐚 𝐔𝐁𝐒, 𝐋𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧;
𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚 𝐍𝐣𝐢𝐞, 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐔𝐁𝐒/𝐒𝐒𝐒 → 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐢 𝐒𝐒𝐒, 𝐔𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧;
𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐦 𝐉𝐚𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐡, 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐔𝐁𝐒/𝐒𝐒𝐒 → 𝐊𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐒𝐒, 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟐 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭;
𝐎𝐦𝐚𝐫 𝐀.𝐌. 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡, 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥, 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐒𝐒𝐒 → 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐒𝐒𝐒, 𝐂𝐑𝐑-𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫;
𝐊𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐞, 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐤 → 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐢, 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟐 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭; 𝐚𝐧𝐝
𝐊𝐞𝐛𝐛𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐲, 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐔𝐁𝐒 → 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫 𝐔𝐁𝐒.
Based on its findings, the panel recommended, among other measures, that the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) urgently review the transfers of all affected staff, particularly Alpha Njie, Omar M. Cham, Saloum Jafuneh, Omar A.M. Sallah, Kaddy Darboe and Kebba Touray, as well as any other staff affected by the incident.
The panel further recommended engagement with the local authorities of the district to address the underlying issues and promote a more constructive relationship between the school, community and education authorities.
𝐆𝐓𝐔 𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐌𝐨𝐁𝐒𝐄
On 10 August 2026, the leadership of the GTU formally submitted the panel’s findings and recommendations to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.
Following receipt and review of the report, the Ministry resolved to return all the affected teachers to Region 5 North, while further engagements would be undertaken to determine their appropriate placement in schools within the region.
Furthermore, Omar A.M. Sallah, who served as Principal of Buduck SSS prior to his transfer, will have his previous position as school head restored and will be posted to a school within CRR-North.
The Permanent Secretary also committed to engaging the local authorities of Nianija District, including the Buduck community and staff of the Regional Education Directorate, to ensure that all stakeholders understand and appreciate their respective roles in education and effective education service delivery.
𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃
The Ministry and the Gambia Teachers’ Union have further agreed to engage the affected teachers and the leadership of the schools concerned. The objective is to foster a smoother working environment, strengthen relations among stakeholders and ensure that the focus remains on effective teaching and learning and quality service delivery.
The GTU appreciates the Ministry’s responsiveness to the concerns raised and its commitment to resolving the matter through engagement and dialogue.
The Union remains committed to protecting the professional interests and welfare of teachers while promoting constructive engagement with all stakeholders in the education sector.
The GTU will continue to monitor the implementation of the agreed measures and provide further updates where necessary.
𝗘𝗻𝗱