(Photo: UTG)
By Ramatoulie Jawo
The University of The Gambia (UTG), on Saturday graduated 1134 students at its 14thconvocation held in Bijilo.
Before families, friends, academics, officials and other guests, the UTG conferred undergraduate and postgraduate degrees on the 1134 graduands in the various academic fields.
Addressing the new graduates, President Adama Barrow who is also the UTG Chancellor, said experience clearly shows ‘formal education plays an important role in nation building, manifestly by facilitating access to knowledge and skills, irrespective of socio-economic background and personal circumstances’.
He added that institutions of higher education, in particular, contribute most significantly to character building, besides producing the trained and educated bulk of a country’s workforce.
“We have noticed that many graduates of the University act as agents of development, and they show strength of character, generate creative ideas and have positive mindsets. Relevantly also, they match their counterparts from other universities, and are doing well outside the country,” the UTG Chancellor.
Borrow assured Gambians that his government would remain committed to providing accessible quality education countrywide.
The UTG Vice Chancellor professor Herbert Robinson highlighted the successes and challenges registered over the years and appealed to the friends of the University to come to their aid.
He congratulated them for successfully completing their studies and urged the graduands to be good ambassadors of the UTG.
“The University is trying to improve on critical areas since he came into office assured quality assurance in education training being provided by the UTG and noted that the UTG management will continue to do its best in promoting this healthy tradition in a bid to make the institution a top class University,” Vice Chancellor said.
He further advised them to make best use of the knowledge gained in order to contribute their quota to national development.
Abdourahman Barry, the overall best student of the 14th convocation, ‘Summa Cum Laude’ in Mathematics recalled the struggle in their pursuit of the degree conferred on them.
“I can say with confidence that this class is no stranger to challenges. One of the deadliest Pandemics in modern history is happening at the same time as we just got our degree. It forced us to learn within the confines of our homes, miles away from any library or friends, much to our grief, but that did not deter us from going after our dreams; we faced the challenge with resilience and courage to emerge victorious,” he recalled.
Convocation is the graduation of students who fulfil all the necessary academic requirements for an award of a Degree and are worthy both in conduct and character.
Like the UTG, universities all over the world confer Degrees on students at various levels and in specific fields of study upon completion of their studies and give prizes to hard working students for their excellent performance.
At UTG, the University Chancellor, management, faculty and academic staff, parents, friends, well-wishers and spouses of the graduands, as well as invited guests, normally grace convocation.
This is the first UTG Convocation under the fifth Vice Chancellor, Professor Herbert Robinson whose appointment took effect in January 2022.