The
Islamic Online University (IOU) on Friday celebrated its 10th anniversary in
form of a symposium on how it has globally completed a decade long tuition-free
education provision.
The
event attracted scores of people within and outside the education sector at its
campus in Kanifing South.
Speaking
on the theme, Use of Internet in Seeking Authentic Knowledge, Momodou Sabally
commended the university for its creativity in providing higher education
online, saying it is in line with today’s age of intelligence and cutting edge
technology.
“Online
teaching is the cutting edge as far as higher education is concerned. The future is online,” said Mr Sabally who
doubles as the managing director of Creative Future Thinkers Media (CFTM) Group
and editor-in-chief of GLife Magazine.
He
said in as much as there is a lot of knowledge online, there are pitfalls
people must guard against in the search for authentic knowledge, adding that
people should always check the source of online information for authenticity
and reliability.
He
noted that the keys to seeking authentic knowledge online are sincerity, wisdom
and the holy Quran.
“Let
the Quran be your searchlight in this forest of information called the
Internet; whatever contravenes the teachiangs of the Book of Allah must be
thrown out into the garbage, no matter how plausible that information may
appear,” the former MD of GRTS said.
The
country representative of IOU, Aminata Jaiteh, said they were delighted to
witness and share their successes at the university clocked 10 years.
The
new vice chancellor of IOU, Mariama Sarr-Ceesay, said the IOU is moving to
become a Center of Excellence that would focus attention on affordability,
accessibility and authenticity of acquiring higher education globally through
modern technology like the internet.
The
founder and chancellor of IOU, Dr Bilal Philips said since inception in 2007,
more than 300,000 students have studied at IOU from more than 228 countries.
“The
university has achieved unimaginable success with regards to spreading its
message globally,” he said.
IOU
in 2010, started a bachelor’s programme in Islamic Studies and gradually
courses like business, education, information technology and psychology were
added.
Dr
Bilal expressed gratefulness to Allah that they have been able to reach out to the
Muslim Ummah and hopes to reach more people to have an even greater percentage.
Since
the establishment of IOU in The Gambia in 2013, more than 1,500 Gambians have
benefited from the IOU’s English, Arabic and IT programmes.
The
university offers students structured and organised intensive programmes in the
most convenient and innovative way.
