By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh
The University of The Gambia (UTG) Students’ Union has in a statement issued on Tuesday 19th April confirmed some progress being made by the college administration, following persistent complaints of students over inadequate classrooms for lectures at the Brikama campus.
The Fatu Network had prior reported the expressed dissatisfaction of students over poor accommodation on campus.
The persistent complaints of students caused students’ leaders to engage management in resolving the problem.
According to the dispatch from the office of the students’ Union Secretary-General, the insufficiency of classrooms was a result of an ongoing examination at the Gambia College which had offered some of its classrooms to UTG for lecturing purpose.
“Last week, the Gambia College that had offered the University lecture rooms began their examinations. As a result, given the obvious heavy logistics involved in exams, a lot of the UTG assigned classes are used for the college examinations. While we were caught off guard that College had begun examinations, we swiftly engaged Management for a solution.”
The Union responsible for steering the affairs of the students argued that the management has been very helpful.
The students body confirmed that a breakthrough has been met and effective lectures will start soon.
Students leaders of Brikama campus, Director of Students Affairs, and Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic have been on the ground trying to decipher the issues. At end of the day, the Union reported that further classrooms have now been identified in the Gambia College to be used by University students but lacked chairs.
“Six assigned classes— two blocks at the right-hand side upon entry into Bajonkoto— are without chairs. Fortunately, UTG had already procured a total of 360 chairs and today with the help of the students and student leaders in Brikama, chairs are being transported to these classrooms. This is expected to be completed tomorrow,” the release confirms.
The release however points out that the plight of the student on the availability of classrooms were not pleasing, while acknowledging the claim of students emphasizing that the situation is unfair to the students.
“We have received a lot of concerns from students over what they described as unfair treatment. We equally share this view and thus would remain steadfast and resolute to closely working with Management and sub-associations to change the dynamics”.
The union has called for calm, noting that the issue can only be solved through collective efforts.
