The Gambia Technical Training Institute (GTTI) last week observed International Student Week at the Friendship Hotel in Bakau. The week-long programme accommodated 172 students from different institutions, who gathered at the Friendship Hotel.

The aim of the celebration is to share ideas,opinions, discover talents, capacitating students with knowledge to serve the nation and continent as a whole. In his welcome remarks, Baboucarr Mbye Saidy, the president of the GTTI Students’ Union, expressed delight and gratitude to be part of the programme.

According to him, it is their responsibility as youths to be part of Africa’s development “and that is why student week is always boosted holistically, in connection with Africa’s development, as it is observed internationally”.

The initiative, he went on, is taken with a view to discover talent in the students, share opinions among others, noting that all the activities that the students will be involved in are mature and educative and that since it is a student week, they will be engaging in lots of important things that will restructure them to be able to meet their targets.

For his part, Dr Saja Taal, deputising for the vice chancellor of the UTG, urged the students to study hard and take part in the country’s development as the future is alreadily built for them by great African leaders who fought for Africa’s freedom. Dr Taal posited that as youths it is their responsibility to develop Africa like other continents, which cannot go with fear or favour.

For his part, Nana Grey Johnson, a senior lecturer at the UTG who also doubles as the guest speaker of the occasion, urged the students to be focused and to know their priority; which should be how to get African countries integrated. Mr Johnson advised the students to reduce enjoyment and think of the future and find ways and means to work hard so as to complete what the great heros of Africa started. 

Other speakers included Fabakary Kalleh, the secretary general of Youth Ambassadors of Peace, whospoke on peace and conflicts; Baboucarr Ceesay, the human resources manager, Gamworkss; Sainabou Ceesay, the guardian and counselling mother at GTTI and Alieu Mboge, a student from Chiekh Anta Diop University in Senegal. Saibou Marong, the assistant secretary general of the association delivered the vote of thanks.