Students of the University of The Gambia (UTG), spearheaded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Students’ Association (SoSHSA) and Science Students’ Association (SSA), who are currently in their nationwide tour, onSaturday, staged a high-profile inter-school intensive quiz and debate competition for schools within the Upper River Region.

Speaking at the event, Alieu Saidykhan, president of the Social Science and Humanities Students’ Association of the UTG informed the students from various schools that the essence of the quiz and debate competition is to enable them to express their intelligence on what they have been learning. He said this will help to improve their public speaking skills. 

He added that the importance of education cannot be over-emphasised, noting that university is the light of the world which every graduate from senior secondary school have to emulate for prosperity. The students of the University of The Gambia, Saidykhan stated, are contributing meaningfully towards national development, and that embarking on such a sensitisation campaign can impart high sense of discipline and reliance that will go a long way in helping Gambian students to be developmentally oriented. Saidykhan further hailed participants for their turn out to the programme.

For him, Abraham Dakwah, the vice principal of Nasiru Senior Secondary School, the motive behind this inter-school competition was to boost the morale of students and further widen their horizons in diverse issues that are related to their education. He then urged students to always be patient in their educational pursuit. “The fundamental pillar that universities play in society, specifically in knowledge production is huge,” the vice principal stated.

Dakwah noted that Upper River Region has been the fortunate region in the country that benefited from this laudable initiative, organised by the two associations in order to empower students to brainstorm. He also thanked the organisers for their foresight and unflinching effort towards advancing the education system. At the climax of the competition, participants from various schools, both the junior and senior secondary schools were awarded a certificate, textbooks, novels and science magazines.

Speaking earlier before the handing over, both Abdoukabirr Daffeh and Yaya B. Baldeh, conference and audience officers expressed happiness over the highly debated topics and urged the schools to effectively and efficiently utilise the learning materials given to them for sustainability. However, in the Upper Basic School category that went for the quiz competition, Nasiru Upper Basic School was crowned winner, followed by Nyakoi, St. Mulumbas and Fatoto.

Meanwhile, in the debate between senior schools, St. George’s Senior Secondary School emerged victorious, Nasiru claimed the second position, Nyakoi third, Fatoto and Diayubu Senior School followed in that order.