By Joy Odor
The Gambia Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Professor Pierre Gomez has affirmed that Nigeria’s intervention in the education sector of its country has paid dividends, with increased enrollment of students from 47 to over 200 at the University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (USET) in the last academic season.
The Minister disclosed this on Wednesday during a courtesy call to the Director General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakubu which was made available to newsmen in a press statement by Nkem Anyata-Lafia, the Special Assistant to the DG Media and Publicity in Abuja.
He ascertained that the Nigerian Professors have changed the narrative in the Gambia higher education with regards to skills, innovation and enterprise development.
The Minister who confirmed of the establishment of a new University of Education in Gambia, informed that they had looked towards the direction of Nigeria to help in fostering the University into a place of excellence.
Prof. Gomez opined that the President of its country is at the glaring impact of the injection of some Engineering Professors of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (TAC) in the running of the USET.
While commending the professional astuteness of the TAC Volunteers currently serving in Gambia, the Minister explained that the Engineering Professors were championing a new wave of thinking out of the box that are aimed at fashioning out self- funding initiatives for Universities that had, hitherto depended solely on the government’s subvention.
He explained that apart from coming to demonstrate appreciation to Nigeria, the delegation specifically had another reason for the visit.
“Today we are here again to request the help of our big brother, Nigeria. This is because your Volunteers have performed greatly well in our country.
“The great dynamism they have brought into our country’s higher education is changing narratives everywhere and we cannot but request for more hands to mentor our teachers and administrators to get things right.
“You gave us all we needed before. The Engineering Professors you gave to our country are more than anyone can ever ask in terms of their productivity and results on ground.
“But here we are again, we are begging your professionals to come and mentor our people in the area of Education, a different area from what the Engineers are already doing” He said.
While assuring the people of Gambia of the continuous support of Nigeria in the area of educational needs, the DG, Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub said the whole idea of NTAC was to fill such gaps among brother nations in the ACP countries.
He opined that the new University of Education would aid in no small way in producing the needed crop of teachers that would deepen education and research in the West African nation.
Prof Buba pledged to set in motion the process of offering the requested assistance to Gambia in the weeks ahead, stressing that the impact of today’s decision on the country ‘s teaching and learning needs would reverberate positively in the sector in the next twenty years.
Among the Minister’s delegations were: Dr. Alieu B. Senghore, Chairman of the University of Education, The Gambia; Mr. Aboubacarr Jallow, Provost of the University, as well as Mr. Siaka Saidilzigh, a Principal Assistant Secretary at the country’s Ministry of Higher Education and Mr.Babucarr Dumbuya, First Secretary at the High Commission of The Gambia in Abuja.
From the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps are the Director of Programmes at the Agency, Amb. Zakari Usman and Mr. Lawandy Bala, Special Assistant to the Director General on Protocol Matters,among others.
