The students of the Gambia College, Brikama have expressed happiness and gratitude to the Gambian Government and the Department of State for Education (DOSE) for considering their plight and increasing the students’ stipend. They described the gesture as appropriate with regards to current living conditions.

Speaking in a long queue for receiving their “drawback” payment in the college recently, students told me that the task of encouraging Gambian Teachers and those expecting to join the teaching profession has been squarely placed on the shoulders of DOSE. The students called on DOSE to put in more effort to make sure the students of the Gambia College have the courage and motivation to give quality education to the country’s future leaders and prevent students from becoming run away teachers (RATs) upon graduation.
 
The students noted that the boost of increasing this stipend can only enhance the common goals of promoting quality education for Gambian children. They realised that the gesture is truly a humanitarian cause worthy of emulation by all, especially those who are involved in the improving of education in The Gambia.

According to a first year student, Alkali Cham, who spoke with this reporter said that words couldn’t describe the depth of their gratitude to DOSE and it was a great token of appreciation. “This was what we were all yearning and we are definitely very grateful” he exclaimed. In conclusion, they called on DOSE and those involved in the improvement of education to pay greater attention to the students of the Gambia College, to improve their living conditions and critically revise their constraints. Finally, they commended the Administrators and Lecturers of the college for their remarkable support and encouragement of the students.