Members of the National Patriotic Students' Association are bracing up for their forthcoming congress, according to a press release signed by their public relations officer, Ya Marie Janneh.

Scheduled for March 11, 2009, the gathering is the 8th annual congress of the association, and it will last until 14th March, 2009. The Friendship Hotel in Bakau will be the venue for the four-day gathering. The theme of this year's congress, according to the release, is "Peace and discipline: pre-requisites to national development". The congress is expected to bring together over 300 students from across the country.

As the umbrella body of all students in basic and secondary schools in the country, NAPSA, since its inception, has been advocating for quality education, trying to unite students from all parts of the country, promote discipline in schools, preaching peace and unity in all schools across the country, conducting sensitisation programmes on TV and radio stations, among other activities.

The release stated that it is an onus for every Gambian to contribute their quota to national development and, as future leaders, it added, "we should take the lead in this move towards national development." "As we celebrate," the release went on, "we also recognise the great efforts of our leader, His Excellency Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, president of the Republic of The Gambia, in transforming The Gambia into a city-state."

The release added that the PRO of NAPSA, on behalf of her association, wishes to register her profound gratitude and appreciation to President Jammeh, "for giving us a brand new coaster, as well as supporting other schools with new buses". President Jammeh, she said, has indeed made Gambian students proud. "His support to Gambian students and the education sector cannot be over-emphasised. He has tremendously improved the education sector."

NAPSA's PRO also commended the Department of State for  Basic and Secondary Education for its support of Gambian students. The current executive of the student body has served for two years. In this regard, there are  strong calls for students to attend the congress and help chart a way forward.