As part of its activities celebrating UN Day, the United Nations system in The Gambia, in conjunction with the department of state for Basic and Secondary Education, last Friday, held an inter-school quiz competition, at the Corinthia Atlantic Hotel in Banjul.

This year’s event, organized to coincide with its 63rd anniversary, was centred on the theme: "UN for you.

In her message, the resident coordinator of the UN system in The Gambia, Madam Chinwe Dike, indicated that the concept behind the theme is that information sharing about the UN and its activities would be done through schools. "In The Gambia, we thought this will take the form of a quiz competition among secondary schools in the form of a learning session about the UN,’’ she explained.

Commenting briefly on the  history of the organization, she seized the opportunity to recall that the UN office was established in The Gambia in 1975, and that one of its objectives is to support the development efforts of the government of The Gambia in the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Reminding the audience of the genesis of the MDGs, she recalled that in September 2000 world leaders committed their nations to a global partnership to eradicate extreme poverty, agreeing to uphold a series of time-bound targets – with a deadline of 2015. This, Mrs Dike said, eventually became the Millennium Development Goals.

In his address, the Secretary of State for Youths and Sports, Sheriff Gomez, expressed delight in witnessing the historic event. ‘‘Of recent, all the work of the United Nations had been focused on the pledges made by its member states in form of the MDGs,” he said, acknowledging that it encompasses all the commitments made at various global conferences from 1990 to 2000’.

SoS Gomez however identified low level of external assistance, contrary to the promise made by the developed world, as "the biggest challenge for our attainment of the MDGs by 2015."

He said was glad to observed that for the participating students, the occasion would increase their awareness of The Gambia’s development concerns and in particular the MDGs. The inter-school quiz competition, he said, would further enhance the students’ participatory responsibility to common issues thereby further strengthening collective commitment at national level.

In a similar vein, Dr Pap Sey, who deputised for the SoS for Basic and Secondary Education, said that the latest report on progress towards attainment of the MDGs in the country was encouragingly positive in many respects. He said that this year’s theme, culminating in to an inter-school quiz competition, made it relevant to observe with pride that the education sector was in no small way associated with these successes.

He reassured the gathering that the government of The Gambia and the education sector, in particular, would not falter in pursuing the noble ideals, values, goals and targets.

Participating schools in the inter-schools competition came from region one: Gambia Senior School; Gambia Methodist; St Joseph Senior School; Ndow’s Senior School; Nusrat Senior Secondary School; Marina International. The Gambia Methodist emerged victorious, coming out with first position. They received certificates, a trophy and a cash prize of D5, 000.  Marina International and St. Joseph, respectively, came out second and third with D4, 000 and D3, 000 respectively.

The vote of thanks was delivered by Modou Sowe, the Head boy of Gambia Senior Secondary School.

UN Day inter-schools quiz competition

In commemorating its 63rd anniversary, the United Nations system in The Gambia organized, in collaboration with the Department of State for Basic and Secondary Education, an national inter-schools quiz-competition. The event took place at Corinthia Atlantic Hotel in Banjul. Centred on the theme “UN4U”, the competitors at the level of senior secondary school were drawn from the from six schools in region one.

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