The Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Monday began a five-day retreat with higher education stakeholders to discuss pertinent issues centred around higher education in The Gambia.
The tertiary and higher education sector retreat at Sindola Hotel in Kanilai brought together higher education institutions heads, university governing council members and government education officials, among other stakeholders.
Making his deliberation during the opening, Professor Momodou Mustapha Fanneh, chairperson of the Governing Council of University of The Gambia (UTG), reminded the audience the essence of research in addressing national matters.
Similarly, the chairperson of the Governing Council of the University of Education The Gambia, Alieu Badara Senghore, emphasised the timeliness of the retreat, saying such occasions expose them to MoHERST’s programmes and policies, especially as UTG (formerly the Gambia College) transitions from a certificate and diploma-offering institution to a degree-offering institution.
In the same vein, Ebrima Cham, chairperson of the Governing Council of University of Applied Science, Engineering, and Technology, stressed developments at the aforementioned public university.
Dr Burama L. J. Jammeh, chairperson, Civil Service University (formerly the Management Development Institute – MDI)), and Alhaji Momodou Jallow, Chairperson of the Governing Council of the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority (NAQAA), also gave their insights and developments within their institutions.
Presentations trailed the insightful discourses, with the officials from MoHERST presenting the activities of the ministry over the past year and its plan for this year.
The Vice Chancellors of UTG and USET, Dr Herbert Robinson and Dr Nazmat Toyin Surajudeen-Bakinde, respectively, made similar presentations detailing some of the achievements their institutions attained, the challenges they faced and potential ways forward.
