The Better Africa Youth Initiative (BAYI), a youth organisation in The Gambia, in collaboration with the Institute of Domestic and International Affairs (IDIA), an America based organisation in New Jersey, are currently on a two-week teachers and students developmental program in some high schools in The Gambia.

IDIA annually brings a delegation of undergraduate students to The Gambia in conjunction with BAYI for the purpose of interaction on leadership development, youth empowerment and skills development. Michael Hinchcliffe, executive director of IDIA, led the members of the institute to The Gambia. Immediately after their teaching class at Rose-Kali Senior Secondary School in Banjulinding, Michael Hinchcliffe thanked the principal of the school, Obi Akubune, for giving them the opportunity to work with their students.

He said this is the best means for the American teachers to share ideas and learn from their African counterparts. He revealed that the objectives of the teaching class are for students to compare life in The Gambia to life in the United States as students. "It is also to allow them experience how classes are been conducted in the USA and in The Gambia" he said.  

Among the teachers who taught students during the program are Dan Sadowsky and Ken Gibson with over 10 years experience in teaching. This is their first time to the Gambia, but according to them, they found it much more interesting than they would have thought.

Obi Akibune, principal of Rose-Kali Senior Secondary School said the visiting teachers have displayed some very important techniques in their style of teaching. He added that this is a good initiative from BAYI. He advised them to keep up the momentum and to move the program from annual to quarterly.

Musa Camara, one of the teachers at the school, described the move as a good idea that will expose the students to the teaching methods in the USA. According to him, the students have also learned one or more things from the visiting teachers.