The ceremony, held on 19 August 2024 at the ministry’s conference hall, marked MoHERST’s second excellence awards programme from a list of 10 best students presented from the last convocation of the University of The Gambia.
The awardees will pursue their studies in various specialisation areas such as medicine, computer science, political science and business management among others.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Pierre Gomez, the minister for Higher Education, hailed the awardees for being part of the excellence list despite the challenges they had faced during their studies at the UTG.
He said that based on their bilaterals, they have got scholarships from Turkey, Morocco and Nigeria among other countries.
He informed the awardees that The Gambia government is out to support those who were on the excellence list, adding that students who excel are to be treated with excellence and class.
This, he added, is to promote education and beyond, build the human capital of the country. “We need a highly skilled citizenry, well informed, ready to build the nation, but we cannot do that if we do not have that high quality education and we want to send the message through you to all students out there,” he said.
Prof Gomez noted: “The Gambia government is telling the youth of this country and despite your background, the moment you are a citizen of this land, you come to the University of The Gambia and you perform very well and that you are part of that cream, the state will come and support you to promote excellence.”
“The objective is for you to serve as role models for your brothers and sisters out there so that they can come to the high table because they must contribute their quota as university graduates. You cannot enter the university and come out empty.”
He assured that the ministry will continue rewarding excellence.
All awardees will receive equal consideration even if they have the opportunity to study in other countries different from MoHERST’s bilateral, he noted, adding “we are going to support you as per the package we give to everybody.”
Dr. Yusupha Touray, the permanent secretary at MoHERST, said the award came through students’ hard work during their previous studies at the UTG on the belief in the power of education.
Delivering the vote of thanks, Dr Princess Mary Olubunmi applauded The Gambia government and the Ministry Higher Education for the confidence and trust invested in them. The Gambia she said maybe a small country but a home of academic giants. “We will represent The Gambia across the world,” she assured.
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