Armitage Senior SecondarySchool, one of the oldest schools in The Gambia recently held its 85th graduation ceremony in the Central River Region island town of Janjanbureh.

The graduation ceremony attracted scores of dignitaries including the ministers of Justice, Basic and Secondary Education, Lamin Jobarteh and Fatou Lamin Faye respectively; Permanent Secretary Baboucarr Bouy; majority leader and National Assembly member for Serrekunda East, Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta; the governor of the region, Alhaji Ganyie Touray; ex-students of the school; as well as a cross-section of the community in the area.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the principal of the school, Sulayman Keita, described the occasion as significant in the calendar of activities of the school, thus congratulating the outgoing students for accomplishing their senior school education at the school.  “We are now sending you into the wider world; the world whose path is bumpy and thorny. In it are countless challenges, offences, tribulations, condemnations, unhappiness, sorrow, to name a few,” he told the graduating students.

The principal harped on the gigantic academic strides the school continues to register with students scoring great results in exams.
 “I am informing this gathering that one student by the name Madi Manga had five A1, three B and one C. He has acceptance at the university but has no scholarship. Being an outstanding student, the school decided to pay for his first semester and keep on helping him to secure scholarship. I want to appeal to our minister of MOBSE and any other person who may be of help to secure a scholarship for him,” he informed.

Taking turns to address the graduation, the attorney and minister of Justice, Lamin Jobarteh, who was the guest speaker, congratulated the outgoing students on their hard work. Jobarteh, an ex-student of the school, then hastened to respond to the principal’s appeal for a sponsorship for Madi Manga, who is on record for being one of the best students of the school, pledging to bankroll his education.
The Justice minister further promised to donate to the school a brand new 48-seater bus to enhance mobility.