The National Patriotic Students Association (NAPSA), on Wednesday held its 8th Annual General Congress at the Friendship Hotel hall, located at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.

The theme for this year’s congress was: "Peace and discipline, pre-requisites to development." In his opening remarks, Modou Alieu Jallow, the outgoing chairperson of NAPSA, said that the association has been working towards promoting patriotism, honesty and other virtues among students. He called on participants to be competent, hard working and patriotic, noting that it is only through this that The Gambia can be turned into a veritable Silicon Valley. He also emphasised that development cannot go without peace.

Jallow seized the opportunity to urge Gambians to rally behind the Gambian leader, Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh in his efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). He advised continuing students to take their academic work seriously and also to abide by the rules and regulations that govern their schools. For his part, Honourable Seedy SK Njie, acting national coordinator of NAPSA, pointed out President Jammeh’s commitment to providing reliable and affordable education to Gambian children. According to him, students should be serious in their academic work and endeavour to serve as role models. He emphasized that any form of indiscipline will not be tolerated in any school as far as NAPSA is concerned.

Deputising for the secretary of state for Basic and Secondary Education, Fatou Lamine Faye, deputy permanent secretary at the Department of State for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Pape Sey, described students as the principal agents in any national developments. It is the responsibility, he said, of everyone to participate in the national development agenda, as human resources play a preponderant role in any developmental initiative.

He then thanked members of the National Patriotic Students Association for their efforts in promoting peace among students, and he assured them of his department’s continued collaboration. For his part, the secretary to the cabinet, Office of the President, Abdoulie Sallah, deputizing for the Gambian leader, described peace as fundamental in nation building. He observed that the theme of this year’s celebration was fitting in that it discusses this very crucial issue.

Sallah also dilated on The Gambia’s contribution in the maintenance of peace at the global level. Jestina Harding, the out-going secretary general of the association, in her report, said that NAPSA is geared towards improving the welfare of students. She said her executive had been working tirelessly to reduce crimes and violence at the school level, adding that the association has been supportive of students in terms of providing stationery to them. She also cited the need for them to have a permanent office to run their affairs.

Delivering the vote of thanks, the outgoing PRO of the Association, Ya Marie Janneh, described the event as an important milestone. She said that NAPSA has been very instrumental in national development. She called for people to contribute to national development and thanked the president of the Republic for his unflinching support to the association and assured him of the students’ loyalty to him and his government. NAPSA was formed on 10th August 2001 by head boys and girls of various schools across the country at the 2001 Nayconf in Basse.