65 Gambian students leave for Venezuela

President Dr Alhaji Yahya Jammeh yesterday bade farewell to the first batch of 65 Gambian students who are to pursue their education in Venezuela under the Venezuela International Students Scholarship Programme, at a ceremony held at the State House, Banjul.

Among these students are crops of future medical doctors, engineers, geologist, industrial technologist, agricultural technicians, telecommunications technicians, computer scientist among others.

Led to State House by members of the Venezuela Taskforce - Ebrima Corr, Chairman, Saidou Jallow, permanent secretary, Department of state for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Momodou MS Njie, permanent secretary, Department of State for Foreign Affairs, Saikou Janneh, Deputy permanent secretary, Department of State for Health, Ebrima Mboob, Office of the President, Essaka Bah, Secretary at the Department of state for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, these students make it the first time in the history of this country that such a large number of students goes to abroad in one group to pursue academic studies.

Addressing them, President Jammeh thanked Allah for making the initiative possible for such a large number of students to leave in one batch to a foreign country. He told the students to note that there is always a problem of being the first to do something especially in a foreign country.

"You will be the first official Gambian students to Venezuela and what you do there, is what Gambia is going to be identified with. So it is not an easy task. Today we are sending more students to Taiwan, thanks to the hard work of the first batch of students that went to Taiwan. Taiwanese Universities now do not even question the qualifications that we normally send. So do more than the first group that was sent to Taiwan to portray a good name for The Gambia" President Jammeh advised.

President Jammeh then reminded the students to bear in mind that if they want to succeed in this world, let them look at themselves and say they are the best and they will always succeed and nothing will stop them. "If you don’t have confidence in your selves, the slightest obstacle you come across, then you will give up which will be very bad. If you think that everything is difficult, you will try everything and fail everything and eventually have yourself to blame" he said.

For President Jammeh, nothing is easy in this world noting that success is not measured by the easy task someone assign him or her self but by the difficult obstacles that the individual come across and are able to overcome them. He told them if they make commitments that they will not fail, they will not because Allah will be on their side.

He further told the students to note that they are going to venezuela to represent three institution - the government of The Gambia in Venezuela, the Republic of The Gambia in Venezuela and also represent their parents and urged them to perform well.

"This is because if anyone fail, it will be a disapointment  for the three key institutions. Today all your parents are happy and proud of you. If you fail, you will disgrace them and many associates it with bad parenthood. So you shoulder a big responsibility of going to Venezuela. You are not who you are but what you represent.

Know that you represent your parents, the honour of your family and dignity and prestige of this country. So if you think you can do anything you want, think back home. Take your education and mission very seriously" he advised.

Absconding

To the students intending to abscond, President Jammeh recalled several cases. He told them that anyone who do so, there is a new policy on it. "All this programmes are initiated and sponsored by me.

The policy now is for both the previous groups, this group, and the future groups. If you abscond, note that we also know your family and from there, no member of your family should expect sponsorship from The Gambia government both internationally and locally.

We have cases of four people absconding and people who use the scholarship programme to go to Babylon, but the good thing is that we pay direct to the school. We also paid for five students to UK and they failed to report to the schools that offered them admission. So the consequences will be that, it will make it very difficult for the British High Commission to issue visas to even genuine students.

If you want to abscond, we cannot prevent you from doing it, but note that no member of your family will ever be sponsored by the government of The Gambia and however long you spend there, even if you come in your old age, we will deal with you. If you want to go to Babyloon, be honourable to seek for help and we see whether it is our priority" he warned.

He then emphasised that nothing is more painful  than to pay for a scholarship and air ticket only for the person to abscond and will not even have a good job but to work at the people’s home centers. "So all depends on what you want. The parents have done what they can, to educate you and is now left to you. Also note that you are going to a foreign country and the things you do here and get trouble, if you do it in a foreign country, you land in the same trouble" he advised.

Discipline

President Jammeh further advised the students to be disciplined and bear in mind that they are all Gambians while in Venezuela and not representing any tribe. He urged them to avoid tribalism among themnselves noting that they never heard of it from the student sent abroad so far.

"What is important is that you are all Gambians as the Venezuelans are looking at Gambians. If somebody is doing bad, they will say The Gambians and people will see you in that light. So it is you personal and collective responsibilities to portray the good image of this country" he said. For Jammeh, even through discipline and hard work The Gambia can even have allocation for more than 300 scholarships but equally without discipline and hard work number  can reduce be reduced.

Respect for the mission

Here, President Jammeh urged the students to concentrate on their studies and avoid engaging in other things. He told them to avoid coming home with something that they did not took away with. "You have gone through medical exams and you are all cleared.

The ladies you have to be extra careful. You are going as single and don’t come with double. So far in thirteen to fourteen years now, we have never had a case where a female student goes pregnant while undergoing an international course. Integrate academically and come back and go socially and integrate. Come with certificates and nothing else. This is what we want" he said.

False leadership

He also emphasised on certain false leadership imposed by certain people in every group of individuals and advised the studenst to avoid such bad leaders. According to him, always certain people will tend to know everything when a group of people arrive in a foreign country. "If the individual wants to mislead you, avoid him or her" he advised

Challenges

He put it to the students on the various challenges they will face while attending their courses such as the environment, understanding the culture, and communicating with the people among others. He promised that though all problems cannot be solve by government but problems that if not handled can affect their education will be considered.

Pocket money

For President Jammeh, the proposed US$80 by government as pocket money for the students was a small amount and announced that they are currently organising for an additional US$500 for each student as pocket money. He advised then to spend the money wisely.

Holidays

The Gambia leader told the students that government will not be able to pay for the students to come to holidays every year. But he put to them that every two years, they can come for holidays depending on their performances. Those who do extremely well, he said he will personally sponsor them to come every year on holidays. He then saluted the girls for  performing the best among the students so far sent abroad for studies. He also commended the student escorts for a job well done.

President Jammeh also presented laptop computers to each of the students so as to help them in their career and urged them to take care proper care of it. Crispin-Grey-Johnson, secretary of state for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology saluted

President Jammeh for the Venezuela project by securing a number of scholarships for Gambians in different fields. He recognised the efforts of President Jammeh in transforming the country which can be manifested by this initiative in securing a large number of scholarships for Gambians. "We are grateful that after one year, this initiative bears fruit and the first batch leaving now" he said.

He told the students to note that this is the first batch ever to be granted audience to meet President Jammeh and advised them not to disappoint the Gambian leader, their parents and the whole nation. He also announced that the Venezuela authorities has asked them to prepare for the second batch and intend to arrive in The Gambia in June/July to begin another training programme.

For her part, Fatim Badjie, secretary of state for Communication, Information and Information Technology urged the students to thank Allah for the gift and to make best use of the opportunity. She told the students that they have all the support and also advised them to live as a family and try to overcome the challenges ahead of them during the course of their studies. "Value yourselves so that you come out with the best" she advised. She also saluted President Jammeh for the initiative.

Dr Omar Alieu Touray, secretary of state for Foreign Affairs expressed delight to President Jammeh and described the students as diplomats for the Gambia in the international world. He told the students to note that they are not only going as students but  as diplomats and representatives of the government, President Jammeh and the society. "So you owe it to President Jammeh, the society and try to represent them in a decent manner" he advised.

SoS Touray then informed them of the various challenges they will face but noted that education is not an easy business. He called on them to brace themselves as it is a make or break exercise. He congratulated President Jammeh for the move and urged the students to make best use of the opportunity accorded them.

Dr Saidou Jallow, Permanent secretary, Department of state for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology who chaired the ceremony, on behalf of the Department of state, the Venezuela Taskforce congratulated President Jammeh for yet another plus and his personal interest, support and guidance towards this initiative.

He observed that President Jammeh has again demonstrated his foresighted vision and boundless interest in the education of young people to provide the specialised capacities that they need at the national level, to create opportunities, reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of The Gambian people. He further observed that, what makes this project remarkable is not that Gambian students are going abroad for studies, but rather the sheer number of students involved.

According to him, these students will be useful in supporting the transformations and positive changes that are going on in the various sectors of the economy and society. He expressed hope that the students will work hard, succeed and actively play their role in the transformation and development of this country.

He then informed President Jammeh that the students’ visas have already been issued as well as air tickets purchased and briefed at various stages. He also informed President Jammeh of the readiness of the Venezuelan authorities to receive the 65 Gambian students.

Demba Keita, one of the students delivered the vote of thanks on behalf of his colleagues.