By Amadou Manjang
The heads of government-run tertiary institutions in The Gambia have convened at Sindola Lodge in Kanilai for a five-day retreat aimed at aligning their strategic priorities for 2025. The discussions, organized under the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology, are designed to foster collaboration and enhance the efficiency of the country’s higher education sector.
Participants include the governing council chairs and vice-chancellors of the University of The Gambia (UTG), the University of Applied Sciences, Engineering, and Technology (USET), the Civil Service University (CSU), and the University of Education Gambia (UEG). The retreat is themed “Strengthening Synergies for the Achievement of 2025.”
Setting the Course for Higher Education
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ndey Fatou Trawally, deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Higher Education, emphasized the importance of the gathering.
“This retreat presents an opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions, review sector-wide challenges, and establish a unified vision that aligns with both national and global educational priorities,” she said.
Higher Education Minister Pierre Gomez underscored the significance of the retreat in assessing progress and refining strategic direction.
“This is an opportunity for critical self-reflection—to examine the challenges we have faced and to collectively find solutions that will enhance our sector’s efficiency and impact,” he said. “It is about consolidating our gains from 2024 and strategically planning for 2025.”
Gomez noted that The Gambia’s higher education sector has undergone substantial transformations in recent years, with its universities playing a pivotal role in driving education, research, and innovation.
“These institutions, with their unique mandates, continue to shape the future of tertiary and higher education in The Gambia,” he said, adding that their work remains central to the country’s national development agenda.
Priorities for 2025
The discussions over the next five days will focus on several key objectives: Assessing the achievements of 2024, Setting strategic priorities for 2025, Enhancing collaboration between institutions, Addressing sector-wide challenges, and Strengthening governance and accountability.
Prof. Momodou Mustapha Fanneh, chairman of the University of The Gambia Governing Council, stressed the importance of aligning these efforts with the country’s broader development goals.
“Our strategy should be in line with the National Development Goals, particularly in the area of higher education,” he said.
Fanneh also emphasized the need for universities to support one another and work toward improving the quality and relevance of education.
“We must ensure that our institutions deliver education that meets both national and global standards,” he said.
As the retreat progresses, university leaders will look to translate discussions into concrete policies aimed at strengthening The Gambia’s higher education landscape.
