State
House, Banjul, 11Th December 2019 The Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah
University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso has
revealed that his university has signed an agreement with the Government of The
Gambia to help establish a University of Science, Technology and Engineering in
The Gambia.
Professor
Obiri-Danso made the revelation while speaking to the State House Press Corps
following a closed discussion with His Excellency, President Adama Barrow at
the State House in Banjul. He was in the company of the Minister of Higher
Education, Research, Science, and Technology, Honourable Badara Joof.
“Most
Gambian engineers are trained at KNUST. Hence bringing that to your doorstep
will help advance the developmental challenges in The Gambia. I hope that we
can start this new university in January 2020,” Professor Obiri-Danso said,
adding that the advancement of any country is highly dependent on science and
technology.
Hence,
Ghana’s founding President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah thought it wise to establish such
a university in Kumasi, Ghana, many decades ago.
“Science
and Technology education is greatly needed in The Gambia if we are to develop
our country’’, President Barrow told the delegation.
‘‘Education
is a priority area of my government’s development plan (NDP 2018-2021). Hence
the establishment of this university will be something that will be good for
The Gambia”.
The
primary objective of the agreement requires the Ghanaian institute to The
Gambia will help with the establishment and development of its own university
of science, technology, and engineering to help train Gambians and diversify the
economy of the country, just as it did in Ghana.
The
Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology, Honourable
Badara Joof said funding for the university will be jointly provided by the
World Bank, Government of The Gambia, and OISCA Foundation as a grant to The
Gambia.
‘’It
will complement the already existing technician training programmes run by the
GTTI but providing degree qualifications for those interested in pursuing
courses in those fields”, Minister Joof said of the project.
