By Ndey Sowe / Bubacarr Gaye
The Ministry of Higher Education, Research Science and Technology (MoHERST), on Friday, 1st September, 2023, awarded scholarships to outstanding students to pursue MSc Programs in Fisheries and Agribusiness in Malawi.
The award ceremony was graced by the Minister of MoHERST, Professor Pierre Gomez; Permanent Secretary at the said Ministry, Dr. Yusupha Touray (who also served as the Chairperson of the occasion, and members of the Scholarship Advisory Board, awardees and staff of the Ministry. Dr. Touray said the scholarship package was acquired by the Ministry through its bilateral relations with its partners, adding that The University of Malawi is a leading academic centre in East Africa and has been a higher education centre of excellence in Fisheries and Agribusiness, in Africa.
“Out of over one hundred applications received, the National Scholarship Advisory Board selected twenty five students through a rigorous selection process. This first batch of ten students will depart for Malawi on the 7th of September 2023 and the second batch will depart for Türkey later,” PS Touray affirmed.
PS Touray said there is need to institutionalise national development by developing and strengthening relevant training institutes in The Gambia.
On his part, the Minister of MoHERST Prof. Pierre Gomez, said the scholarships were targeted based on the country’s development agenda in the fisheries and agribusiness sector, and said upon completion of their studies, the students are expected to serve in the University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology’s Agribusiness and Fisheries TVET Centers which he said, are being established in Sapu, CRR South and Gunjur in the West Coast Region respectively.
“These centres will provide the youth of this country with the requisite skills for community and national development.
“Go and conquer and come back to develop your country,” Prof. Gomez asserted.
The Chairperson of the Scholarship Advisory Board, Karamo S. Bojang, said applicants for the scholarships underwent a transparent screening process involving calls for applications, shortlisting, interviews and the final award. He congratulated the awardees and said they should be proud of their achievement. Equally, he congratulated the Ministry for acquiring this scholarship package through its bilateral relation and cooperation.
One of the recipients of the scholarship, Sanna K. Danso, thanked the Ministry on behalf of his colleagues, for giving them the opportunity to pursue MSc Degree programmes in Fisheries and Agribusiness related areas in Malawi.
“We will live up to expectation and make the Ministry and The Gambia proud,” he concludes.
