We extend our best wishes to the group of Gambian students, numbering 49, that are set to leave the shores of the country for The Republic of China on Taiwan to pursue various degree courses through the Taiwan 2008 Scholarship. We also urge them to make the fullest possible use of this glorious opportunity and fly the flag of The Gambia high while they are abroad.

The chance to study abroad is not only an opportunity to further ones education but also a glorious chance to experience another culture and broaden the mind through travel. For this reason the students must grasp the chance gladly and with both hands.

The scholarships are also another shining example of the great support that the people of Taiwan continue to give to the people of The Gambia. We thank them for their bottomless generosity of spirit and hope that the support will continue for a long time to come.

Taiwan has been a shining example of what a country can achieve even in the face of great adversity and the students should learn well from this example and bring the lessons home to share with their fellow countrymen here in The Gambia.

The students have been chosen from many thousands of others so they are obviously of a very high calibre. This said they must not be complacent or slacken their pace in any way as the studies that lie ahead will be intense and testing. Sometimes they may feel overwhelmed by culture shock or the enormity of what is expected of them but we urge them to be courageous and not loose concentration or focus.

Addressing the students at the recent gathering to mark the students departure, Richard Shih, Taiwanese Ambassador to The Gambia, congratulated the students while describing the day as a moment of joy for them. The Taiwanese diplomat revealed that the students will be pursuing their bachelors, Masters and PhD. It is gratifying to note that this is the highest number of scholarship awarded to The Gambia by Taiwan, which he said is a manifestation of his government’s willingness to support  The Gambia’s education efforts. “It is the intention of The Republic of China on Taiwan to share our experience with our best friends of The Gambia,” he said. We thank the Taiwanese and urge the students to repay their kindness with dilligence and hard work so that after four years they can return to our shores and serve their country as accomplished, well educated citizens.

NICE Gambia, in collaboration with CCF launched a 1 million Dalasi IT scholarship project for the children of the Western Region at Jamisa Skills Centre in Brikama on Saturday.

Deputising for the SoS for Communication, Information and Technology (SoSCIT) at the occasion, Acting Permanent at DoSCIT Mr. Abdou Karim Sonko, said NICE Gambia is complimenting Government efforts in the IT sector by bringing IT to the doorsteps of Gambians.

He commended NICE and CCF for coming up with such a laudable initiative in the Western Region and urged parents to make sure that their children take the scholarship package seriously for the betterment of their future.

Mr. Sonko stated that NICE also offers training to people in both their Brikama café and in Wellingara.
 
Speaking earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of NICE Gambia Omar Njie, said the number two goal of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) is where NICE is positioning its core business efforts. This is to achieve universal primary education for all which, he noted, is the aim of having every child be they a boy or a girl complete a course in primary schooling.

Mr. Njie stated that the aim of NICE is in line with the MDG’s adding that by 2015 every Gambian child will be able to use a computer and will be communicating with each other through NICE centres.

Mr. Njie pointed out that last year six programme areas of CCF within the Western Region signed an agreement with Net4kids, a charitable foundation based in Holland, to the tune of 61,975 Euro. This is equivalent to over D2 million.

According to him half of this money will be used to develop NICE IT courses on basic PC fundamentals, IT diploma courses, marketing travel and tourism courses, business management, teachers IT training and secretarial IT training.

For his part, the Governor of Western Region, Abdou F.M. Badjie, commended NICE and CCF for bringing the scholarship package to his region. Governor Badjie assured NICE and CCF that the children of his region will make the best use of the package.

At the end of the ceremony a raffle draw was held for the people of the Western Region in which people won televisions, DVD players, Comium Nokia mobile phones, Sim cards and Africell prizes among other things.

Present at the occasion were CCF officials, Reliance Financial Services representatives, the National Assembly Member for Kombo North Hon. Adama Cham and the regional Education Officer in Brikama. 

Coach Badou Saidy was born in The Gambia and attended Pakalinding Primary and Junior Secondary School.

In 1995,1997 and 2000 he attended FIFA/ Olympic Solidarity training courses ranging from certificate to advanced certificate and refusal course.

Since he entered into coaching he was able to build up a very formidable U-15 team from 1991 to 1996 called Sitaba FC in Jarra Soma, at the Lower River Region of The Gambia.

From 1993 to ‘96 he coached the LRR Regional third division.
 
From 1997 to ‘98, he was assistant coached at Steve Biko FC. a first Division side in The Gambia Football Association League.

He rose to the position of head coach for Steve Biko in 1999/2001.

Honours as coach

In the 1999/2000 season his team were the winners of the FA cup, while in 2000 season his charges won the four nation clubs competition in Senegal. The 2000-2001 season saw them crowned vice champions in the league.

However, from 2001 to 2002 he was the head coach for interior FC at the 3rd division qualifying rounds and also held the same portfolio in the 2nd division from 2001-2002. 

Abdou Salaam Jammeh CAF Education Officer who doubles the Development Officer of the Gambia Football Association alongside Mariama Sowe and Choro Jobe Mbenga, female coaches have returned from Johannesburg, South Africa after they successfully took part in training courses organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

 The Abdou Salaam Jammeh attended the continental administration course, while the two female coaches participated in CAF women’s coaching course for Anglophone countries.
Forty-nine of the fifty-three CAF member countries participated in the courses that are aimed at the promotion and development of football in the continent. CAF’s seasoned instructors from Egypt, Bostwana and Tunisia took the centre stage during the week-long training courses, where they dwelled on different subjects ranging from FIFA, CAF Statutes, Administrators’ responsibilities, financial management and the new media.
CAF experts from Zimbabwe, Seychelles and South Africa were also on hand to update more than 49 women participants across the continent on the theoretical and practical aspects of the course.

Speaking to Observer Sports shortly after his arrival, Abdou Salaam Jammeh, told Observer Sports that the topics treated during the training were very much appropriate and in line with modern date of football administration.
“The topics treated during the gathering were very relevant and this will go a long way in enhancing the football administration in the African continent,” he said.
Salaam Jammeh added that The Gambia was highly praised at the Johannesburg gathering by the CAF officials for her swift and timely move in implementing her education and training programme.

For women in the information technology industry, greater effort needs to continue to even the already staggeringly biased ratio.

In an IT department of 20 people how many are female? Experience has shown me that a figure of 1 or 2 is being very generous. That makes 5-10% female and 90-95% male. Lower level technical support might sport a better ratio for females, but the more advanced and thus lucrative jobs are predominantly men.

A college graduate can earn salaries ranging from the mid 20,000's for helpdesk up to 6 or 7 figures for IT professionals and managers. High schoolers have similar opportunities and will only be limited if some jobs require a degree. Higher skills lead to higher end salaries. So why are girls and young women missing this great opportunity to be involved in a lucrative area of business?

It starts when we are young, girls are given an Easy Bake Oven to learn to cook, Barbie’s to learn about fashion and the importance of appearance, and baby dolls to nurture and "raise." They then go off to school and are less likely to be called on in class (especially math and science classes). They get to high school and by this point doubt their math/science skills and tend to take the minimum classes required. The importance of appearances, popularity and "marrying a good wealthy man" are reinforced more strongly than professional success throughout adolescents through peer and parent pressures. The IT field in particular is contrary to what they are taught because it is thought of as "nerdy."

Although the bias against girls may diminish at the college level, by this point many girls have already developed their avoidance of technical topics and courses. Thus once at college there is no reason to take more than the required math/science classes...focusing more on social sciences, foreign languages, or art. This of course is not true of all girls, but is very common. So what do we do? Parents don't be so insistent that your daughters follow the "traditional" path to domesticity, let them explore the potential of their own minds. There are no limits to what girls and women can do, no limits except the ones we place on ourselves. Girls, do what you enjoy and realize that you deserve a high tech and high paying jobs as much as anyone!

Well that’s nice, you say, but what can I do?? First of all, a major in computer science is very likely to double an average college graduate's salary. But you don’t have to have a computer science major to make it in Information Technology and still make good money. Most high schools and colleges have some sort of IT courses and many have programs that get you certified, such as an MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) or a CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) both of which are in extremely high demand. If your high school or college does not have a program, it wouldn’t hurt to suggest that they start (that is how it began in the first place). This can get your foot well in to the door straight out of highschool and can get you into the mid 20K’s to low 40K’s. Don’t blow off the benefits of college since with a college degree you will be a hot commodity and this salary range is even higher. Most community colleges offer current certification and technical courses for a reasonable fee (when you consider the high salary you will earn). And of course, never underestimate the power of surfing the web where much more information is available at the click of a button.

The Managing Director of Quantum Associates, Mr. Gibriel Chorr, has echoed his institution’s commitment to joining the march towards the realization of President Jammeh’s Silicon Valley dream of transforming The Gambia into an enviable nation-state.

He added that Quantum Associates would contribute towards the achievement of this lofty dream by providing employable skills to youths of The Gambia to enable them participate meaningfully in national development efforts.

Mr. Chorr was speaking in a graduation ceremony for 18 people that completed training in Quantum’s Summer Class of 2007.

“I was amazed by the level of intelligence and dedication shown by these students whom, as I speak, are in the middle of their projects and, in a few months’ time, we will be parading them as programmers who would have distinguished themselves and developed a profession such that they will not have to work for anyone else and would not go hungry again for the rest of their lives,” he stated.

Mr. Chorr finally expressed delight in the students for the successful completion of their courses as well as commending them for the effort and success.