UTG students demand ‘immediate’ resumption of academic activities

The protest was organised by the Task-force Committee of the Union and Sub-Association leaders under the theme: ‘Standing for Students' Interest, Fair Treatment and Academic Excellence.’

The protest started from the Iceman Junction towards the UTG Kanifing Campus.

Some protesting students claimed: ‘Our education is under threat, enough is enough.’

Others chanted: ‘Our future is under threat and stand with us’ among others.

Last week, hundreds of concerned students of the UTG also protested, demanding the reinstatement of the two dismissed staff lecturers and for the UTG Vice-Chancellor to resign. The protest turned sour as PIU officers used teargas on the protesters, leading to the hospitalisation three individuals at the Kanifing General Hospital.

Reading their petition in the presence of the UTG Vice-Chancellor yesterday, Nyaninka Manjang, the UTG Students’ Union President, said: “We demand the immediate resumption of all academic and administrative activities to prevent further disruption to students’ education. A university closure for about two weeks is a catastrophic blow, not only to the students but also to the nation’s future.”

The ongoing disruption, he said, has already caused “significant delays and uncertainty, and it is absolutely essential that academic and administrative functions resume without any further delay. Meanwhile, we hereby respectfully ask the parties to consider the interest of students and resume work immediately.”

“The January 6 exams must go ahead as rescheduled: We insist that the January 6 exam be held as rescheduled, with no further delays or disruptions. The original exam date of December 9 could not proceed due to the strike, which severely affected students’ focus and preparedness.”

“We strongly oppose any reassessments for students who have already completed their assessments under the dismissed lecturers. Such actions would be unfair, as these students have already demonstrated their academic capabilities. Introducing reassessments at this stage would only add unnecessary strain to their semester.”

“We call for the prompt clearance of government-sponsored students who have been unable to register, collect their attestations, or obtain their certificates due to administrative delays. Many students and alumni have been affected, and we demand that their clearance be processed to avoid any unnecessary disruptions in their academic progress.”

Continuing further, the UTGSU prexy said: “We demand the provision of adequate transportation services for students commuting from Kombo South to the Faraba campus. Additionally, reliable transport should be provided for students attending classes at the Kanifing and Banjul campuses.”

That, he went on, would alleviate the daily challenges these students face in accessing the campuses and enhance their absolute experience.

Concluding, he said: “We demand the immediate approval of pending Grades: We call for the immediate release and approval of all pending grades, ensuring that students’ access their grades and no further delays. This should be done as soon as the university’s administrative functions are back in operation.”