The Albaraca Nursery School was built in a number of stages between August 1997 and January 2007.  In 2003, the then Secretary of State for Education, Mrs Ann-Therese Ndong Jatta, opened the school officially. Since then, a number of pupils have continued their education to university level in the Gambia and elsewhere in Africa. 

 

The project started when Rachael Wong and her parents, Margaret and John Adnitt, visited a nursery school in a disused garage and decided to provide something better for the children and their teachers.  Rachael, with colleagues from Barclays Offshore Services in London, raised enough money to buy a small piece of land in July 1997.  By the beginning of January 1998, the 25 pupils and two teachers transferred to the first classroom.

 

Since then, new classrooms have been built and more children have arrived to bring the current school roll to over 170 children.  Much of this could not have been achieved without the generosity of supporters in the UK and the rigorous supervision of construction provided by Bakary Jobe, one of the Gambian Trustees and a former manager at a nearby resort.

 

20 Year Anniversary celebrations - 27th January 2018

There were extensive celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of the opening of the school.  Among the guests were former pupils and teachers, local dignatories, religious leaders, two UK trustees and all the existing children, staff, parents and Gambian trustees.  There were many speeches, presentations by past and present pupils and national anthems played by the Scouts band.

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In Memorium

In April 2016 we were devastated to lose Fatou Bah one of our initial teachers who transferred to the school in 1998. Fatou very sadly died in childbirth and we all miss her immensely.

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In September 2011 everyone involved in the Albaraca Nursery School in The Gambia and the UK was deeply shocked by the sudden death of headmistress Mrs Kebbeh, who had been our headmistress since 2001.  Mrs Kebbeh had been a wonderful head and a force for good in the school and the local community.