‘We want functional education’ — Gambia seeks more postgraduate scholarships from Nigerian varsities

Pierre Gomez, The Gambia’s minister of higher education, research, science and technology, has solicited for postgraduate scholarships in Nigerian universities for students in his country. 

Gomez spoke in Abuja on Monday during a courtesy visit to Chris Maiyaki, the acting executive secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The minister, who commended Nigerians for laying the foundation of university education in The Gambia, said most of the principal officers, including the vice chancellor of the first university in the country, were Nigerians. 

He said Gambians who had earlier undergone postgraduate programmes in Nigerian universities under the World Bank-sponsored African Centre of Excellence (ACE) are now playing strategic roles in the country. 

Gomez added that The Gambia is particularly interested in postgraduate scholarships in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics  (STEM) programmes from Nigeria. 

“Because of the relationship we have between Banjul and Abuja, we are here to seek  support for scholarships at the postgraduate level in different areas, especially in STEM,” he said.

“And to know whether the TVET are under your purview, because this is something we want to see in getting support in that area, and also in capacity building. 

“As you know education liberates the individual. We want to have functional education.

“One thing is to have your Masters and PhDs but then  the other thing is for you to able to solve societal problems.

“We still have developmental issues and we strongly believe higher education can change the situation. “

While speaking, Maiyaki said Nigeria would not relent in playing a big brother’s role despite having its own challenges. 

“Even though we don’t have enough access; every year we have about two million Nigerian kids (students) applying to universities and we barely meet up to 50 percent,” Mayaki said. 

“If you take electricity supply, Nigeria is not self-sufficient but we provide electricity to Niger Republic, that is our deliberate friendly stance from independence.

Maiyaki expressed delight that the visit came on the heels of the recent launch of core curriculum minimum academic standards (CCMAS) in the Nigerian university system. 

He added that Nigeria has also opened up its higher education space to attract major players across the globe through the transactional guidelines put in place by NUC. 

Maiyaki urged the Gambian minister to send a formal proposal on the specific postgraduate scholarship programmes and universities of choice sought by his country to allow the NUC to process the request. 

Maiyaki said that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has come up with a plan that would attract about 500 students from Gambia to Nigerian universities and called for exploration of the opportunity.