There has been considerable debate over whether the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) has the authority to intervene in the affairs of the Gambia Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA). While it is true that GSSSA is a registered association under the National Sports Council and that its affiliate, the Gambia School Football Association, is affiliated to and recognised by the Gambia Football Federation, it is equally important to acknowledge the practical realities of school sports in The Gambia.

School sports do not exist in isolation from the education system. The students who participate in these competitions are under the care and responsibility of MoBSE. The teachers who organise, coach and supervise these activities, including members of the Executive Committee, are employees of the Ministry. Even the Chairman of Competitions is a MoBSE employee.

Beyond personnel, the Association depends significantly on the Ministry’s support. School facilities are used to accommodate athletes during national competitions and teachers require permission from their respective school administrations to leave their duty stations and participate in school sports activities conducted during the academic calendar. In some instances, MoBSE also provides financial support to school sports programmes and Schools pay a subscription fee.

These realities make it difficult to argue that the Ministry has no legitimate interest whenever governance issues arise within the Association. Registration under the National Sports Council does not erase the Ministry’s responsibility to safeguard the welfare of students, ensure accountability in the use of public resources and protect the integrity of activities carried out within the school system.

This is not to suggest that GSSSA should lose its autonomy. Autonomy is an important principle in sports governance. However, autonomy should not be interpreted as immunity from oversight, especially where public institutions, public employees, public resources and schoolchildren are directly involved.

The best way forward is not confrontation but cooperation. Both MoBSE and GSSSA ultimately serve the same constituency: Gambian students. When governance concerns arise, dialogue, transparency and respect for institutional roles are more likely to strengthen school sports than a dispute over who has the final say.

At the end of the day, good governance is not about asserting power. It is about ensuring that the institutions entrusted with developing school sports remain credible, accountable and worthy of the confidence of the students, teachers and schools they exist to serve.

By Ebrima KB Sonko

The author is a Gambian journalist and a teacher with nearly a decade of experience in the education sector, having served since 2017. He is passionate about sports governance, education and public affairs.