The Gambia Academy was set up in 2015 by the renowned musician, educator and activist Sona Jobarteh in order to pave the way for a new generation of institutions across Africa, dedicated to a process of educational reform which critically challenges and rejects well established educational frameworks which she believes marginalize, undermine, victimize and disempower young Africans from a formative age. It is Jobarteh’s conviction that by reforming education we are directly addressing the bigger mission of working towards true sustainable development across the continent.
The Gambia Academy is dedicated first and foremost on re-orientating curriculum, and to critically assess what best serves young Africans in order to equip them with the knowledge, passion and tools they need to succeed as proactive change-makers, entrepreneurs, role models, as well as a highly skilled workforce. Jobarteh has developed and is expanding a curriculum that uniquely supports the holistic growth and development of each child, incorporating entrepreneurship, leadership, nutrition, health and vocational training into the very fabric of an academic curriculum which is centred around African values, culture and history. This approach, says Jobarteh, will create a generation of Africans who will be innately proud of their culture, confident with who they are as Africans, and proactive contributors to the growth and sustainable development of the continent.
