In
today’s edition, we bring the recent first-ever graduation ceremony of SUNA
Institute of Science and Technology run by a young entrepreneur, Alhagie
Jallow, who had dedicated his life to helping young Gambians in the area of IT.
The ceremony was held at the Gambia Collage Campus on Saturday 17 October 2015
The mission of SUNA Consults is to become the premier provider of IT education and software development services in The Gambia, by building a long-term relationship with customers through quality delivery and customer support.
The institute’s goal is to be successfully educated, and to prepare individuals seeking a career in Information Technology and Business Office Applications for certification in a variety of computer environments.
Their unique way of training provides the individual with the highest level of flexibility, providing anytime anywhere learning, which is in high demand by students who need to remain in the workforce while they train.
SUNA is a young IT and educational company that provides quality IT consulting, print, design and educational service to its customers.
The educational services industry, including basic, secondary and tertiary, is one of the fastest growing business sectors of the economy, and SUNA Consults intends to capitalise on the success of this industry, and help improve on its weakness by taking advantage of investment vacuums that still exist in it.
SUNA Consults also aims at playing a defining role in the growth of the IT and software development sector.
Speaking at the ceremony, the CEO of SUNA Institute of Science and Technology, Alhagie Jallow, said they have developed good partnerships with partner IT firms and institutions of higher learning, with the sole aim of improving on the quality of delivery and reinforcing the content on their current programmes and also to introduce new programmes of study.
He disclosed that when they were starting the institution, they started with three students and he had dedicated staff that are behind him encouraging him to push, which led to the graduation ceremony.
Therefore, he added, the day marked a very important day in the history of SUNA Institute of Science and Technology by graduating at least 40 young Gambians and non-Gambians.
“When I look at these young people in front of me I feel very happy today by thinking of the journey we have taken before today,” Mr Jallow said.
Speaking earlier, Amadou Barrow, Head of Department, Senior Instructor & Internship Programme Coordinator, said the Department of Information and Communication Technology of SUNA Institute of Science & Technology designed programmes that meet the needs of the working professional, as well as those who have limited or no work experience.
“We are extremely proud of the professionally driven and academic quality of our programmess, and the ability to address the needs of today’s contemporary IT issues and challenges through our valued and cherished students,” Mr Barrow said.
He added that each of the programmes offered in the Department of Information and Communication Technology was designed to provide their students with both broad-based and specialised information communication technology training, that emphasises the application of knowledge, concepts and skills on information technology practice, as well as builds conceptual skills and core values needed to become effective and efficient professionals in today’s rapidly changing global environment.
Mr Barrow gave the current statistics of graduates from ITC Department: January 2014 to October 2015, ICT 101, computer literacy 181 and Microsoft Office Application 101, and Microsoft Office Application-Foundation 137.
“Our schedules are flexible enough to accommodate students with different needs and desires. Our programmes are designed to meet the needs of the working professionals, as well as those who have limited or no work experience. Students can take courses online on the ground, or hybrid (blended approach),” he said.
“We expose our students to the real competitive job market through our integrated internship programmes with special focus on our Microsoft Office Application Advance and other related specialist programmes. We ultimately bring quality education to the doorstep of every individual,” he added.
SUNA’s legacy of close relationships and personalized professional training courses is the foundation on which they continue to build, he further stated.
He told the graduating class of 2015, that they are in transit to a world which is itself in transition, adding that they are all keenly aware that in technology matters, the world had become a single neighbourhood.
“You came to SUNA Institute of Science & Technology in search of your vocation. The response to your inner calling is an essential part of becoming yourselves,” Mr Barrow said.
In their case, he added, this transition turned out to be particularly complex, because they are entering a professional world in flux with new challenges, new actors, and new institutions.
