The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Banjul Tuesday held a two and half hour orientation for 50 Gambian students who recently won the 2010 Taiwanese government scholarship awards to pursue courses in different education disciplines in Taiwan.

The orientation ceremony took place at the Embassy premises in Bakau. Tom Lee, the Taiwan Banjul Embassy’s charge d’Affairs, who spoke on behalf of Ambassador Richard Shih at the orientation, congratulated the students for the award, and advised them to endeavour to make maximum use of the opportunity accorded them. He explained that the awarding of the scholarships is a manifestation of the cordial bilateral relationship that exists between Banjul and Taipei. Lee also used the platform to reiterate Taiwanese government’s unwavering commitment to strengthen its relationship with The Gambia.

Madi Jatta, the deputy permanent secretary, Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology urged the students to try to be good ambassadors of The Gambia while in Taiwan and to endeavour to respect their host country’s norms and values. He reminded them that as they are all leaving the country for the same mission (education), they must develop and strengthen love, respect and cordiality amongst themselves.

DPS Jatta then commended the government of Taiwan through its Banjul Embassy for the support it has been rendering to The Gambia including the scholarship awards. Alieu Njie, the deputy permanent secretary, Office of the President equally commended the Taiwanese government for the benevolent gesture, which he described as a clear manifestation of the excellent bilateral ties between Banjul and Taipei. He also called on the awardees to be pragmatic and to concentrate on their education while in Taiwan.

Lamin Ceesay, one of the awardees who spoke on behalf of the others, expressed heartfelt appreciation to the government of Taiwan through its embassy in Banjul for awarding them scholarships. During the orientation, Adama Ceesay who was an ICDF award winner, gave a PowerPoint presentation on her Taiwan experience. Some of the students are expected to leave The Gambia today, Wednesday August 25th, 2010 while others will leave tomorrow, Thursday, August 26th 2010.

Out of the 50 awardees, five are being sponsored under the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs scholarship, eight under the same ministry’s Mandarin Scholarship, while 13 won the ICDF Masters/PhD Programme Scholarship. Additionally, one student won the Ministry of Education’s Mandarin Scholarship and four won the Fine Arts Special Class Scholarship.

11 students won the Biomedical Special Class, six won the Taipei Medical School Scholarship and two from individual universities scholarships respectively. The 50 will bring to a total185 the number of Gambian students studying in Taiwan.