As the University of the Gambia held its fourth convocation ceremony at the Independent Stadium, Bakau, on Saturday, January 26 2008, Society, this week explores the need for its establishment and the impact this revered national institution has so far had in the country.

The government’s desire to bring education to the doorsteps of every Gambian is a humble task, which amplifies the inextricable link between education and the social, political and economic development of any country.

It also epitomizes the fact that for the economic and social winds of change to blow in any country, education must be given an utmost priority. This is more so given the fact that a critical examination of the past history of education in The Gambia shows illiteracy rates at a precarious level. And think about this fact; how could a country with only three secondary schools by 1994, make the necessary headway to achieve its development aspirations?

Furthermore, other factors such as the fact that by 1998, less than 50% of Gambian children attended schools rendered the country’s development aspirations very difficult if not impossible.

And to worsen and compound things, tertiary education was never given the attention and priority it deserved. The Management Development Institute, Gambia College, and Gambia Technical Training Institute were the only institutions with the capacity to train Gambians at tertiary levels. Consequently, a truth became apparent and that is the fact that less than 6% of Gambians received tertiary education. To add dust to an already bleak situation, Gambians who wanted to access university education had to travel abroad to acquire it.

But as is always the case there was hope waiting somewhere. And when everything became nothing, sunshine came in 1994 in the form of the present administration who made it a priority to cleanse past wrongs by improving education in the country. This was done by listing education alongside health and agriculture as top priorities.

Action was, consequently, set in motion to construct schools throughout the length and breadth of the country. This has given Gambians greater opportunities to access quality and relevant education at all levels.

In what would be seen as the most significant effort ever to deliver the ultimate tonic to the nation’s fledging development aspirations, the University of the Gambia was established in March 1999.

It’s establishment epitomised and amplified the popular saying by President Kennedy that the progress of any nation can only be as swift as development in its education sector. Its establishment therefore, has brought to a halt the long, thorny and horny road, which Gambians had to sojourn through in order to become educated. It also handed Gambians the keys to open the doors to the bounties and opportunities that are found in the country.

But establishing the UTG was not always easy. Despite the urgent needs for it, it was not always smooth sailing. Several reasons lend credibility to this, one of which was the fact that some people decided to give it all the hallmarks and attributes of impossibility. But as usual, there is no going back and it would go ahead anyway to prove them wrong in the end.

So with support from the Ministry of Health of Cuba it kicked-off and in March 1999 the Medical School started operations marking the first university education in the country. The establishment of the Medical School was succeeded by the establishment of many other departments in the university including the Social Sciences, Humanities, Economics and Management Sciences, Public and Environmental Health and Science and Technology.

Since its establishment over 600 students have graduated from this noble institution. Among the many luminaries are great men and women who occupy important positions in the country, whilst a considerable number are also currently pursuing their masters and doctorate degrees.

As a sign of its growing strength, the UTG currently has about 2000 students. This comprises a mixture of nationalities including American’s, Nigerians, Cameroonians, Liberians, and Senegalese.

It might have taken several decades to establish it, but the UTG has already started registering its mark in the development landscape of the country.  Even though the road is still narrow and long, there is no going back. And as noted by a recent Daily Observer editorial: "Efforts for the realization of maximum benefits from UTG calls for a focused nationalist approach.

And this must be embedded in the foundation we are now putting together, a foundation that will shape the long term outlook of the institution, and, to quiet a great extent, determine the kind of professionals the institution provides in the long term and future of our Gambia." This is the future for the UTG and the Gambia at large. So lets march on.

Your Excellency the President of the Republic of The Gambia, Chancellor of the University of The Gambia,

ALHAGI DR. YAHYA A. J. J JAMMEH

The Vice-President of the Republic of The Gambia,

AJA DR. ISATOU NJIE-SAIDY,

My Lord Chief Justice of The Gambia, Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly,

Honourable Secretary of State for Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology,

Honourable Secretary of State for Basic and Secondary Education,

Other Secretaries of State present,

Honourable Members of the National Assembly,

Secretary General and Head of Civil Service,

Permanent Secretary of the Department of State for Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology,

Permanent Secretary of the Department of State for Basic and Secondary Education,

Other Permanent Secretaries present, Representatives of the UN-system and other international bodies,

Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps,

Venerable Religious Leaders,

Chairman and Members of the Council of the University of The Gambia,

Deputy Vice-Chancellor and University Registrar,

University of The Gambia, Members of Senate,

University of The Gambia, Distinguished Invited Scholars,

All other invitees, Members of the Media.

And last, but not least: COLLEAGUES AND STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE GAMBIA! All protocol respectfully
observed!

Ladies and Gentlemen!

@COMMEMORATION:

Let us first commemorate those who have departed since last convocation:Professor J. O. Mogbo, Professor of Chemistry, Mrs Isatou Barrow, student, Department of Economics and Management, Mr Momodoulamin Ceesay, student, Department of Economics and Management, Mr Kalilu Jaiteh, student, Department of Science and Tecchnology, Mr Ebrima Jallow, student, Department of Economics and Management, Mr Yankuba Jarjue, student, Department of Economics and Management, Mr Saikou Jawara, student, Department of Economics and Management, Mr Joseph Pa Mendy, student, Department of Nursing. MAY THEIR MEMORY BRING YOU COMFORT!

Please raise and join me in one minute of silence.

@INTRO REMARKS:

Convocation day is a milestone in an academic career. It is a day to remember and retain for the graduate’s family and friends. For the graduate it is the first stepping-stone on a life-long career.

For the university proud to educate the candidates, graduation ceremonies are signposts on the academic path towards increased institutional quality, relevance, and social impact.

The graduands presented to you today are our tribute to government and society.

@WELCOME:

It is a pleasure and a privilege to welcome you all to the Fourth Convocation Ceremonies of the University of The Gambia on this 26th day of January in 2008.

A special welcome to the Chancellor of the University of The Gambia, his Excellency the President of the Republic, ALHAGI DR. YAHYA A. J. J JAMMEH, and his spouseas well as the Vice-President, AJA DR. ISATOU NJIE-SAIDY.

@GUESTS TO RECOGNISE:

Please allow me to recognise the following guests:

Professor Sory Camara and his wife from the University of Bordeaux in France

Professor Femi Ojo-Ade from St Mary’s College, Maryland, US

Dr Ebrahim Malik Samba, retired WHO African Regional Director

Mr Mathiew Ndure, retired registrar of WAEC

Eight Norwegians under the leadership of Ms Linda Veraasdal. They are in The Gambia to study responsible tourism.

To all our distinguished guests, scholars and stakeholders, I salute you for responding to our invitation.

@TO THE STUDENTS:

Dear graduands, class of 2007!

Your achievements deserve our compliments. Your academic education has prepared you for working in a society that is rapidly changing. Academic and intellectual skills prepare you to participate in this ongoing transformation, to the benefit of you, your family, and your country.

When you start working to earn your living, you will realise that the quality of work done by people varies a lot. It is a fact that everybody can produce and present quality work.

Whatever work it is. Because quality is a life style. It rarely takes more time or is more expensive. It is just an attitude, just – quality. Aim to be a quality worker!

Future challenges to mankind, Africa, The Gambia, may seem overwhelming. With climate change, population growth, emerging diseases, and so on. But this is how the world has always been. I do not believe that our forefathers and –mothers had an easier life. However, they had very different everyday challenges.

Use your education to work for the common good. Prepare yourself for creativity and wisdom. Be a seeker; look for the new challenges, possibilities, perspectives, and solutions. Work with others because people need people. Common sense is not so common, we all need to develop our creativity to meet a changing and challenging world that require that new solutions are developed and brave decisions made.

@ON UNIVERSITY MATTERS:

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen!

To day I will concentrate on the ongoing developments at UTG.

This is the fourth convocation in the history of UTG. Today the number of graduates is 176, bringing the total number of graduates up to 649. This year the second batch of medical doctors graduated. With those 12, the total number of educated doctors at the University of The Gambia is 23 so far. This is a fine achievement and indicates that we are on track.

@WHAT A UNIVERSITY IS

A university is a unique institution. Its existence and achievements are built on confidence and confidence only. That is why academic fraud is so severely punished by academia, and a university is so sensitive to false accusations and gossip.

A university is a place to produce science-based knowledge using scientific methods developed and tested over centuries. The institution brings global products of research to society for its scrutiny and use.

Academic freedom entails the right and duty to pursue research using the appropriate methods and to publish your finds. Together with its twin sister, academic responsibility, it is the functional basis of a university.

It entails the right and duty to analyse and criticise what other researchers have published; - and the sometimes very uncomfortable obligation to submit to your peers’ criticism of your publications!

It entails the duty to replace ignorance with sound, testable science-based knowledge.

It gives no right to venture into irrelevant or low quality research for selfish or destructive purposes.

Academic freedom is not the freedom to misuse project funds for other activities than for those they are approved.

Academic freedom is not the freedom to do nothing!

The university is a place to take the brave steps to traverse frontiers of knowledge never crossed before and succeed or fail!

Universities are members of the international academic society. Any university will be critically scrutinised, even academically investigated, by your peers at other universities, whether you are prepared for it or not.

This craves quality control in research and teaching, and autonomy, independence, and integrity in all activities. It is also important to develop a certain academic specialisation and focus. You cannot do everything.

Methodological transparency and accountability and the ability to publish the unexpected and sometimes embarrassing results and conclusions, but also a strong will to admit and correct failures in research. Research results must be presented and published in such a way that they can be controlled and corrected by other researchers.

@A GAMBIAN UNIVERSITY

Every university is special in its own way. What then, is a Gambian University? Can there be an institution uniquely identified as THE University of The Gambia. - Of course, it can!

A Gambian University should be an institution producing knowledge relevant to progress focusing on the improvement of human resources for the development of the nation. In every action, development should be the focal point of attention.

The second focus should be how to get optimum academic quality out of the resources available and increase the quality of the human resources accessible.

This university should give opportunities to all Gambian youths willing, eager, and qualified to go for an academic career.

However, this is not enough:

Our graduates should develop and leave the university with the will to serve the nation, acknowledging that development demand sacrifices.

I am not a historian, but I challenge them to give me one example where a good society was built without sacrifice and its sister virtue solidarity, from those who had something to sacrifice.

In every society, there are those who have been able to collect a variety of privileges for themselves. Many of them are protecting those prerogatives the best they can. They hardly understand or accept that when we are talking about development for all and for the common good, it is to their benefit too.
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How can we secure that UTG is a university for Gambian development?

Let me give you some examples on what we are into just now:

@RELEVANCE:

We have taken the first steps towards a curriculum reform looking at content and procedures. In this process, we conferred with some of the stakeholder Departments of State. This will continue and UTG wants to seek collaboration and co-financing to produce candidates well adapted to The Gambia’s needs.

I am a firm believer that it is possible to increase relevance without compromising on academic quality and standards.

@RECRUITMENT:

Last year we started access courses and opened for parallel tracks to the graduate programmes. We intend to go further.

Senate have approved the establishment of a Bridging year from senior secondary school to degree programmes at UTG in collaboration with Gambia College. In partnership with the Department of State for Basic and Secondary Education, we have suggested actions that will strengthen and increase the number of secondary school teachers. It will open for new career tracks for teachers already in the system.

We have suggested measures that within relatively few years can bring the Gambian WASSC exams results to pole position in the Sub-region. This may be done at relatively low cost.

@MASTER PROGRAMMES +

In 2007 UTG started its first Master Degree Programme in African History.

In collaboration with Leeds Metropolitan University, we started a Master Programme in Health Promotion and Environmental Health with students from The Gambia and the Sub-region.

We are to sign a MoU with UniversitÈ de Limoges in France to start a Master Programme in French at UTG.

We are also at an advanced stage in developing a Master in Economics.

I hope to be able to present the upcoming master programmes to Senate for recognition this academic year.

I am also pleased to inform you that we are developing a tailor-made bachelor in accounting and finance in collaboration with the Directorate of Treasury.

@INAUGURATION OF PROFESSORS:

In 2007, the first two professors ever installed in the Gambia gave their inaugural lectures in the presence of the Chancellor, Alhagi Dr. Yahya A. J. J Jammeh. This was a milestone in academia in The Gambia and we expect more professors to follow.

@RESEARCH FOUNDATION

UTG is looking into the possibilities of establishing a research foundation within the university for activities it chooses not to place in the university itself. For instance, consultancies done by staff members, larger interdisciplinary research programmes, administration of strategic programmes, etc. Thus, staff at UTG benefit in their research from the administrative services of the foundation.

UTG has been pledged some funding for competitive research from the World Bank through PCU, and resources for a think tank for development from UNDP.

The foundation can also serve as transitory home for institutes with external funding that later can be reorganised to university departments.

A foundation is a good tool for accountability, quality control and peer review of reports issued in the name of the university.

Within the research foundation, one can develop extensive collaboration with parastatals to bring research out to them.

A developmental university must co-operate with the private sector to be relevant to development. This is one of UTG’s priorities in the coming years. We hope to develop models of collaboration that brings mutual benefits and strength to all partners. This is a challenge UTG is prepared to meet and the establishment of a research foundation is an important tool to facilitate externally financed projects.

@TERTIARY INTEGRATION:

I am pleased to say that our line minister and his ministry, Department of State for Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology, are strongly committed to a successful tertiary integration.

Integration opens a historic window of opportunities. Complete integration with all tertiary institutions co-located in Faraba Banta will open opportunities nobody ever envisaged.

From other integration processes I have witnessed, I request to give this advice to the Government: "Do not let vested interests hamper integration". A half-hearted attempt to please everybody will fail, even be destructive. A few individuals must not be allowed to weaken, even destroy the integration progression.

And to the integrating institutions: Do not get stuck in never-ending discussions on how to organise. You will have to adjust anyhow. Have the guts to take brave decisions, and if necessary fine-tune and rearrange. Integrate all institutions in Faraba Banta and build a fantastic university!

Harvard, Oxford, Sorbonne is not the yardstick.

Our measuring stick is how the integrated UTG can support and create development in The Gambia and the Sub-Region.

Because of its diversity, the integrated university will be an essential partner to all public and private sectors in the Gambia.

@CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT:

In collaboration with the Department of State for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, GTTI and UTG, a highly respected NGO in Norway, Aktive Fredsreiser ("Travel for Peace" in English), has donated funds to build a house with computer labs, offices and lecture halls at Kanifing.

The construction has started and when completed the NGO will hand the house over to the university. All this money has been collected from private persons in Norway to support the development of The Gambia and UTG.

Last year the Chancellor Alhagi Dr. Yahya A. J. J Jammeh invited the Norwegian architect firm Sn¯hetta to develop a master plan for the campus in Faraba Banta. In a month, this plan will be presented and campus development will enter a new phase.

@STAFF

The members of staff at UTG is not working under optimal conditions. Let me, on behalf on all of us gathered here; thank the staff for their efforts sometimes under difficult circumstances. This goes to all support and administrative staff from the cleaners to the University Registrar, and to the academic staff.

Many things are going on in UTG just now and you have hard times ahead. There is a lot of work to be done to build our institution further. The development of UTG depends on your unconditional support to the institution. The campus in Faraba Banta will give you much better working conditions, but it is what you accomplish before UTG is moved to the new campus that will generate the success of that enterprise.

Let me express special thanks to the part-time staff. Without your efforts, there might not have been a UTG. I hope that the salary increase we were able to give last year shows our dedicated part-timers how much we appreciate their contributions.

@THANKS:

The University continues to receive benefactions from a variety of sources. Principal among these have been:

_ Technical assistance for the Medical Programme from the Government of Cuba

_ Support from WHO to the School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences

_ Colleagues from several teaching hospitals and universities in the Sub-region and beyond have rendered services to the Medical School

_ Research grants to members of staff from CODESRIA and WHO

_ GPPC (Gambia Printing and Publishing Corporation) former known as BPMRU, Gambia College/School of nursing, GTTI, MDI, MRC, ITC (Classrooms and labs)

_ Republic of China, Taiwan (Scholarships and computers)

_ The support we get from PADEF is highly appreciated

_ Sabre Foundation and the Foundation for West Africa donated 15000 scientific books and text-books, very generously mediated by:

_ GAWFA Gambia Women’s Financial Association

_ Trust Bank is very supportive and facilitates in the collection of tuition fees from our students

_ Let me also thank our line ministry, the Department of State for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, for their efforts and encouragement.

_ Let me convey thanks to Department of State for Basic and Secondary Education and all the other Departments of State that have supported UTG

_ Let me not forget to thank GRTS who so generously gives us time on the air.

Special thanks goes to our integration partner, MDI. UTG spends a lot of money on renting lecture rooms, but thanks to generous help from MDI’s management, this cost is now reduced. Let me explicitly mention Alieu Tarju who has been instrumental in this respect.

I seize this opportunity to convey our profound thanks and appreciation to parastatals, institutions and individuals who have donated generously towards the funding of the convocation ceremonies. They are all mentioned in the Convocation Book. Let me; however, inform you that the Chancellor himself donated almost 2/3 of the cost of the convocation ceremonies. He has also pledged to do this in the coming years!

Thank you all for your generosity!

We want to be good receivers of gifts. And if we are not always up to it, I apologise. UTG is a small institution, and we have to work in sequence, do one thing at a time. We are not staffed to work in parallel.

CONCLUSION:

Before I finish I will convey personal thanks to the Chancellor of the University of The Gambia, His Excellency the President of the Republic of The Gambia, Alhagi Dr. Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh for his steadfast devotion and support to UTG and our students.

It takes time, patience, and commitment to develop a university; it is expensive and craves continuous government support to be sustainable. For each step up in quality, investments and running cost increases exponentially. Nevertheless, there is no alternative to a high-quality national academic institution.

It is my strong conviction that UTG now has reached a stage in its development when it can take off. However, it craves that all stakeholders increase their support to the university. I encourage all parents to send their children to the University of The Gambia. Especially those who can afford to send them abroad. It is an important signal of confidence that will strengthen the young institution.

The Chancellor has pledged 15 professorships to the university. In my opinion, this is the most important event since UTG was established. It will boost quality in education and research. It will make it possible to reinforce activities meeting national needs. It will expose the university nationally and internationally.

This injection of academic competence will change the university entirely. In the context of the integration, the 15 professorships are even more significant. I hope it will encourage private institutions to donate the same number of professorships to UTG in the coming years as needs are acknowledged.

For any university the support and interest in the institution by the Head of State is a principal asset. I feel confident that the relationships based on mutual respect between State House and UTG will continue and develop further.

Your Excellency, as Chancellor you are not only rendering oral support to the UTG. You also support the institution and our students through magnanimous personal contributions and scholarships. This is paramount for the development of the institution.

As Vice-Chancellor of the University of The Gambia I thank you for this!

Thank you all for your attention!

as 25.01.08

Says President Jammeh as he donates 1/2 million plus for UTG Convocation

His Excellency, President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh has made it clear that the University of the Gambia will always be his number one priority, as education and the training of competent professionals is crucial to development.

The General Convocation Committee of The University of The Gambia (UTG) called on President Jammeh, the founder and Chancellor, at State House, on Wednesday.

The purpose of the high-powered delegation was to inform His Excellency, the president of the plans for the Convocation to be held on Saturday, the 26th of January, 2008. The UTG delegation was led by the SoS, Higher Education, Abdoulie Sallah; Chairman of the UTG Board, Mr Abdoulie Touray and the Vice Chancellor, Prof Andreas Steigen.

Also in attendance were Mr Lamin Sam Jaiteh, the Registrar; Senior Lecturer Jenung Manneh, chairman of the General Convocation Committee; PS Higher Education, Dr Saidou Jallow; the star-graduate of UTG, SoS Tourism, Ms Angela Colley; the Attorney General Marie Saine-Firdaus and SoS Local Gov’t, Lands & Religious Affairs, Mr Ismaila Sambou.

Generosity

A happy and jocular President Jammeh expressed his pride in the existence of The University of The Gambia and the fact that so many Gambians are graduating from the UTG to serve the nation.

"Many were sceptical and many thought we could not do it," said President Jammeh, adding "I am proud of our University. I will always support it and I will safeguard it jealously. It is my baby and I will look after its well-being." As Mr. Jenung Manneh presented his budget for the Convocation, the president offered to pick up the bill for the reception at D227,200.00 and then went further and agreed to pick up the bill for the Convocation Dinner at D350,000.00. The gathered audience, including this reporter, were overwhelmed by the president’s generosity, but the president went further still and raised prizes for star-students from as low as 2,000 dalasis to 10,000 and raised other prizes from 5,000 to 20,000.

Warning

Moving on to a more serious message, the President warned university teachers to stick to teaching and to avoid political demagoguery. "I want my university to have high academic standards and I will not tolerate mediocrity or political demagoguery", said the President. The president advised malcontent lecturers to look elsewhere. "Students of my university are dedicated to good academic achievements and development of the country" said the president. "Non-performing teachers have no place at the university," stressed the president.

For his part, the Board chairman, Mr. Abdoulie Touray, eloquently described the president’s commitment and support of the UTG, stressing that this is not the first time the President has supported the University.

"Your Excellency, you have supported us generously for all the past convocations and we are grateful," said Mr. Touray. The Vice-Chanclellor also thanked the President and emphasised that standards will be maintained and the warning about sub-standard teachers will be addressed.

As part of activities marking the 4th convocation ceremony of the University of The Gambia, the Convocation Sports Committee will on Wednesday, 23rd January stage sporting activities marking the occasion.

 The University community, distinguished personalities, together with four Secretaries of State will converge at Westfield Junction at 10am to take part in the ‘Walk for Health’ sensitization programme meant to influence the community on the health benefit of walking.

The Vice chancellor, Professor Andreas L Steigen and other dignitaries, will lead the process which will commence at the Westfield junction, and then proceed via Kairaba Avenue to the University’s Faculty Office building.

A volleyball tournament to be played at the Faculty building grounds between four tertiary institutions, The University of The Gambia, Gambia College, GTTI and MDI will follow after the walk for health sensitization programme.

Very attractive prizes will be awarded to winners and the tournament will be accompanied with musical entertainment and refreshment. 

As the university community braces itself for the forthcoming convocation, the General Convocation Committee on Friday, received four cheques amounting to D72,750.

At least 175 students from eight departments will graduate on January 26, next year, at the Independence Stadium, Bakau, in a ceremony the President, Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh is expected to preside over.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Observer, Jenung Manneh, the chairman of the General Convocation Committee, who is also the head of the UTG’s Department of Agriculture, said the cheques came as result of a request made by his committee.

Mr Manneh disclosed that Dr Lendry Peters presented a cheque for D5,000 for the best English student, while Social Security and Housing Finance Cooperation, ECOBank Gambia LTD, and the Gambia Printing and Publications Cooperation (GPPC) presented cheques for D40,000, D19,200, and D8,750, respectively.

Mr Manneh described the convocation as a special day for the university, and a joyous one for graduating as well as non-graduating students.

January’s convocation will mark the fourth batch of graduating students from the UTG, which was established in 1999.

In a separate development, the UTG Management earlier received support from a group of Dutch nationals currently on holidays in The Gambia. The materials range from photocopying and writing papers, to notepads, as well as pens. A consignment of chairs and tables were also donated.

Speaking at the occasion, Momodou Lamin Touray, the Netherlands-based Gambian who coordinated the presentation, said he had observed that all sponsorship of this fashion are directed to other schools, saying that the UTG should also be considered.

“This is our contributions to The Gambia,” he said.

Cor Deen, the head of the delegation from Netherlands, had this to say: “We will be coming back with what we can”.

Prof Andreas Steigen, the vice chancellor of UTG, had complimentary words for the benefactors. He said the materials are very much needed for the day-to-day running of the university.

He expressed hope that this is the beginning of a new relationship between UTG and the group.

Gumbo Ali Touray, director, Information and International Affairs of UTG, chaired the ceremony.