Gambiaj.com – (Brikama, The Gambia) – A viral video showing schoolchildren confronting a man who locked the gates of their school, Al Madinah Basic Cycle School in Brikama, has triggered public outrage and cast a spotlight on a long-running ownership and management dispute between the school’s founding family and the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE). The video was first shown by The Gambia’s popular platform What’s On-Gambia.
The man at the center of the controversy, identified as Abdullah Ryan, is a member of the family that built the school with an investment of over D30 million.
According to Abdullah, the school was developed on family-acquired land and funded by his younger brother in the United States. The institution was operated privately until the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when disputes emerged over unpaid staff salaries and whether it was safe to reopen for face-to-face classes.
Abdullah claimed that although his brother sent $10,000 during the pandemic to pay teachers, tensions escalated when the family decided not to reopen the school due to safety concerns. He alleges that MoBSE took over the school’s operations without court authorization or compensation.
“The school has since been mismanaged and damaged under the Ministry’s control,” Abdullah told reporters, noting that he sent letters with photographic evidence of deterioration to both the Regional Education Directorate and the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary.
He said he instructed teachers not to proceed with summer class registrations until the Ministry addressed his concerns, but when the teachers went ahead, he locked the gates in protest.
However, a teacher working at the school since 2020 offered a starkly different account. In a statement to What’s On-Gambia, the teacher said Abdullah has repeatedly threatened and harassed staff.
“He has been causing us significant distress through threats, physical attacks, bullying, and more,” the teacher alleged. “We have written to the Directorate multiple times, and even involved the police at one point, but the Ministry has ignored our pleas. The government must take action before it’s too late.”
The Ministry Responds
In an official statement, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education acknowledged the challenges faced by Al Madinah during the pandemic, including its inability to pay staff. The Ministry said it intervened at the time to safeguard the students’ education, deploying qualified teachers to allow Grade 6 and 9 students to complete their academic year.
“We are aware of recent reports concerning access restrictions during the ongoing summer classes and the associated tensions involving the school proprietor,” the statement read.
The Ministry emphasized that it is committed to resolving the situation amicably and ensuring students’ education is not disrupted. However, it warned that it would take “further steps” if the proprietor continued to obstruct access to the school.
“Should the proprietor refuse to cooperate or prevent students from accessing the school, the Ministry will be compelled to act to guarantee the safety and education of all students,” the statement added.
The video of distressed students pleading for access has fueled emotional responses online, with many calling for an urgent resolution that puts the interests of the children first. Community members are urging both the Ministry and the Ryan family to find common ground before the situation deteriorates further.
As of Thursday afternoon, the gates of Al Madinah remained locked, and no official update had been given on whether summer classes would resume.
