Many countries in Africa have placededucation at the center of their social and economicdevelopment strategies. Although much has been achievedacross the region, some challenges remain: millions ofchildren are still not enrolled in primary school; girls,children from poor families, and those from rural areas areat a distinct disadvantage when it comes to schooling; andlearning outcomes are weak. In addition, secondary schoolsare struggling to accommodate children who complete primaryschool, while institutions providing higher education andtechnical and vocational education and training often lacklabor market relevance, jeopardizing future economic growth.Deeper analytical work to inform education policy isbecoming increasingly important. This first Country StatusReport (CSR) for The Gambia is part of an ongoing series ofcountry specific reports being prepared by government teamstechnically supported by the World Bank, United NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)and other development partners. These reports aim to helpengage a diverse audience and to develop a shared vision forthe future of the education sector, in line with the Parisdeclaration on aid effectiveness. The Gambia report offersnot only traditional and basic indicators such as grossenrollment rates, but also analyzes the performance of theeducation system in terms of access, internal efficiency andlearning outcomes; equity; external efficiency and itsalignment with labor market needs; resource allocation andutilization; and management. It takes into account revisedpopulation data estimates and projections down to thedistrict level that were computed by the CSR joint team andthat were recently published by the Gambia bureau ofstatistics. The report highlights the country'ssignificant recent progress in terms of education, and thechallenges that remain. The Gambia is still among the mostadvanced countries in the region in terms of enrollment andcompletion indicators at all education levels.
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