Ming Ndaw Upper and Senior Secondary School in Farato had to close around 10am Wednesday after many of its female pupils started fainting. Many believe the strange phenomenon was caused by an ‘evil spirit’ that has been tormenting young girls in schools across the country for some years now.
The phenomenon, which started in schools in
the provinces
such as Armitage SSS some years ago, is characterised by
screams and fainting
fits. Almost a hundred female pupils were affected at Ming
Ndaw
School Wednesday. The incident started earlier on Tuesday
morning with 30
pupils initially affected. Some of the affected pupils were
screaming and running away
from people. It was very difficult for anyone to control them,
as they seem to
posses extra power and strength.
Speaking to the Daily Observer at the
school premises
shortly after the incident, Babucarr A Suwareh, the regional
education director,
Region Two described the incident as shocking and unfortunate.
He said he
received a telephone call from the principal of Ming Ndaw
Upper Basic School
Tuesday, who informed him that some pupils were collapsing at
the school.
Suwareh said he immediately sent a team
from his office that
included Gibril Bah, the Principal Education officer at Region
Two to go and
investigate the matter, which they did, and found out that 30
pupils were
affected. He added that the school was then closed for that
day.
He continued: “The following day, while I
was driving past
the school, I saw a good number of students standing outside
the school. I
stopped and entered the school and all what I could see again
were students
falling and screaming on the ground all over the school
campus. As I approached
to help, I later discovered that more and more students were
falling and the
number was increasing.
I then called Lamin Sanneh, the governor of
West Coast
Region to inform him about the incident. At that juncture, I
took about three
students in my car to Brikama Health Centre and upon arrival,
I met the
governor at the health centre. We later came together with a
number of doctors
and nurses to the scene and efforts to control the affected
[pupils] became
very minimal as the information spread quickly and parents ran
to the school to
take away their children back home.”
Suwareh disclosed that he once had a
meeting with the
school's Parent Teachers Association (PTA) on the issue. He
said they agreed
that the phenomenon has something to do with spiritual powers,
and so only the
female pupils are affected. He said whenever the ‘evil spirit’
attacks someone,
he or she becomes very powerful, making it difficult for three
or even four
people to control him or her.
He recalled a similar incident that
happened sometime back
in Janjangburreh in the CRR, while President Jammeh was on a
nationwide tour.
Suwareh said the Gambian leader personally intervened and
assisted some of the
pupils who were affected. He stressed that the solution to the
problem is not to
transfer children to other schools or to close the school.
His words: “If you transfer them to another
school, you are
trying to spread the problem as it happened in CRR. When all
those who were
affected were transferred to other schools, they were affected
in the same
school. Now, we do not want a repeat of that here. I therefore
urge all parents
whose children are either affected or not to refrain from
doing so.”
The regional director said he plans to invite Islamic scholars today, to the school to recite the Holy Quran and give out charity. He also used the opportunity to appeal to parents to change the dress code of their children from short to long dress with their heads covered. “Their skirts need to be thoroughly looked into as many of the female students’ uniforms are very short,” he said.
He also appealed to whoever has any idea about such problems to come forward and help the school. The authorities responsible can be contacted on: 9926966/3926966.