UTG Students Protesting (not today’s protest)
By Buba Gagigo
The University of The Gambia (UTG) students are set to stage a protest at the university’s Kanifing campus on Monday, December 2, 2024, at 9 a.m. in response to the recent dismissal of two senior lecturers.
Dr. Alieu Gibba and Professor Matarr Njie were both removed from their positions after making allegations of “nepotism, favoritism, and lack of motivation” against the university’s leadership.
A student, speaking on behalf of the protesting group, shared their frustration with Kerr Fatou, stating, “We are concerned students of the University of the Gambia. As we are confronted with the unfortunate situation within the University of the Gambia, we deem it necessary to take action since our student leaders are complicit and compromising students’ interests.”
The protesting students outlined their grievances as follows:
1. The unfair dismissal of our most active and dedicated lecturers in the School of Business and Public Administration
2. The recent resolution put forward by the university management, part of which is the replacement of the dismissed lecturers with other lecturers who are tasked to take over the courses. This, when the semester is just at the end, we find to be unsatisfactory and a way of undermining our academic studies.
3. Re-doing assessments that we have already been assessed in the form of both tests and assignments.
4. To show our dissatisfaction for interrupting our contact lecture hours. Currently, we did not have any classes in one of the courses since the dismissal of one of the lecturers on 15th of November 2024.
5. To ensure that standards and democracy are restored in the University of the Gambia and to ensure that there will be no potential loss of our great lecturers in subsequent semesters.
The students also expressed disappointment in their student leadership, saying, “Exams are just around the corner, and despite everything, our student leaders have not assured us of any meaningful action to resolve this issue.”