08/03/2026
Rigid Recruitment Criteria Ignoring the Educational Barriers Faced by Persons with Disabilities
The ongoing teacher recruitment process raises serious concerns about fairness and inclusivity for persons with disabilities in The Gambia. The insistence that every applicant must obtain five credits including English Language fails to take into account the systemic barriers that many candidates with disabilities face throughout their educational journey.
For years, the education system has not adequately addressed the challenges faced by learners with disabilities, particularly those with visual impairments, hearing impairments, and other physical conditions. As a result, many capable individuals perform poorly in certain subjects, not because they lack ability, but because the system itself has not provided the necessary accommodations.
For example, students with low vision often sit examinations without adequate access to enlarged print, braille materials, assistive technology, or proper reading support. In many cases, they are forced to rely on limited or inconsistent assistance, which directly affects their performance in subjects such as English Language.
Similarly, deaf and hard-of-hearing students are required to complete the oral component of English Language examinations without exemptions or reasonable adjustments. Expecting such candidates to perform equally in an oral test, despite their hearing limitations, raises serious questions about fairness and equity.
There are also structural barriers embedded within several subject areas that disadvantage persons with disabilities. These include:
The oral component of English Language, which places deaf students at a clear disadvantage.
Drawing components in Arts and Crafts, which may be difficult for students with certain physical or visual impairments.
Map reading in Geography, which can be extremely challenging for visually impaired learners without adapted materials.
Practical activities in Physical and Health Education, which do not always accommodate physical limitations.
Technical drawing and construction tasks in technical subjects, which often require visual precision and equipment that is not adapted for students with disabilities.
Beyond examination challenges, schools frequently restrict the use of smartphones, laptops, and other digital devices. Yet these tools are essential assistive technologies for many students with disabilities, especially those with visual impairments who rely on screen readers, magnification software, or audio learning tools to access educational content.
Equally troubling are the negative attitudes of some teachers towards persons with disabilities and lack of awareness within some learning environments, which continue to limit the participation, confidence, and academic progress of learners with disabilities.
Despite all these long-standing barriers, the government, through the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE), has not sufficiently addressed these structural challenges within the education system. Instead, the same rigid academic requirements are now being applied as the standard qualification for entry into the teaching profession.
This approach effectively penalizes persons with disabilities for systemic failures that were never addressed during their schooling.
If the government is truly committed to inclusive education and equal opportunity, then MoBSE must urgently review the current recruitment criteria and advocate for reasonable accommodations and fairer pathways for qualified persons with disabilities to join the teaching profession.
True inclusion cannot exist when the system ignores the barriers people face and then judges everyone by the same yardstick.
A more inclusive and equitable approach is not a privilege - it is a matter of justice, equal opportunity, and respect for the rights and potential of persons with disabilities in The Gambia.
Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education
