4th Convocation of the University of Gambia University

Over 176 students of the University of the Gambia graduated on Saturday the 26 January 2008. President Jammeh who also is the chancellor of the University of the Gambia at a very colourful ceremony at the Independence Stadium in Bakau told the convocation that they all have good reasons of being proud to be a Gambian. He said it is not the business of only government but rather it is the businesses of every good citizen to part take in the total development of our dear country. President Jammeh was addressing the fourth convocation of the University of The Gambia (UTG). This convocation saw 176 grandaunts bringing the total to 657 grandaunts since the inception of UTG.
He said education is high on his government’s agenda. However he is very aware of the constraints facing the UTG. He assured the people that he and his government will rather spend all they have to see the UTG crumble and will do all to support the development and expansion of the UTG.
The Chancellor told the convocation that he is delighted to note that a programme like degree of African history is in place and that it is a laudable achievement .If not for any other reason but Africans, can and will then be authors of their own history. Jammeh said the Gambia which is one of the biggest states in Africa before the advent of colonialism was only reduced to the smallest snake in the Africa .
He made a reference to the British High Commissioner who he enquire whether he is around or not. Jammeh then went on to blame the British for our size and said once the African History programme is established, the British will be ask to explain how the size of the Gambia come up. It is only good for people to write their own history than it is written by others for them. President Jammeh said he has maps to back the arguments.
He calls on the grandaunts to work hard to develop The Gambia, the country he said cannot be developed if people are not willing to work hard and wish them all good luck.
The chairman of the governing council of the University of the Gambia , Alhagie Abdoulie Touray praises the chancellor of the UTG, President Yahya Jammeh for making the university a reality in the Gambia .
He inform the convocation of the fact that , they have over 657 students graduated so far, and over 300 more students are under the UGT programme.Among the grandaunts we have 23 medical doctors among others, and there is a law programme as a new innovative. We have started our own home grown programme of masters’ degree in African history. Like all public universities, its objective is to provide access to the university; we therefore want to enhance public accessibility to all our programmes.
He informed the chancellor that there is a need to go far beyond what is achieved if we are to catch up with modern realities. There is a need to go modern. He advises the new graduates that they should act well and proof themselves worth of their salt.
The Secretary of state for Higher Education Research, Science and Technical, Abdoulie Sallah, informed the gathering that the Kanilai Institution of science is nearing completion, which he said will no doubt add more to higher learning opportunities in the Gambia . He told the newly graduated students that they may feel to have achieve a lot just like himself when he received his own first degree many years ago, but one thing he can assured them is that, this is just the beginning of a long journey.

The Vice chancellor of the university, professor Andreas Steigen told the convocation that it is always a moment of gratitude for them at the University on such occations.He said the number is 176, bringing the number to 657 total and that include 23 medical doctors. He said a university is a unique institution and their existences depend on people’s confidence. He said every university is unique in its own way, he went on to ask, and can’t that of ours not be so? Yes he said this university should give an opportunity to Gambian the knowledge they wanted.
He informed the convocation that other programme like, Finance and Account, masters in Economics and Science, are being introduced, we are looking at the possibility of introducing a research foundation. This he said will help a lot in bring development partnership. He calls on both the private and public sector to help assist the UTG. He informed the gathering that UTG continues to receive a lot of supports from partners e.g. the Twainese government, WHO, Gambia College , MRC, MDI, and GTTI. These supports are most welcome. He concluded by urging all to send their children to the UTG, especially those who cannot afford sending their children abroad.