The Senior Management team (SMT) of the University of The Gambia has finally been dissolved by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology, weeks after the university staff association demanded for the resignation of its members.
The staff association accused the SMT of corruption and misplaced priorities, after which they embarked on a sit-down strike that saw lectures at the country’s highest institution of learning interrupted, as lecturers failed to appear in class more than two weeks since the crisis begin.
Confirming the dissolution by the Higher Education Ministry, Dr Ismaila Ceesay, president of UTG Faculty and Staff Association and the brain behind the protest, said: “Yes, the SMT has now been dissolved. “We will convene a congress Friday, March 10, at the MDI during which we will release a statement,” Dr Ceesay said.
Sources say tomorrow’s convergence will also see the discussion of what agreements has been reached during meetings with Higher Education officials.
Mr Taal, a SMT member, a lawyer and a lecturer at the UTG, condemned the ministry’s move, saying they have no “legal authority whatsoever to make such pronouncements.”
Mr Taal added: “It is regrettable that the ministry thinks it can solve this issue by taking such actions.” It doesn’t make any sense, Taal said.
Meanwhile, commenting on the development, Essa Njie, a Graduate Assistant, said news of the SMTs dissolution is a welcomed, adding that the ‘SMT’ in the first place is an “illegal entity” as there exists no provisions in the UTG Conditions of Service which cater for such.
“It [SMTs] is only found in senior secondary schools and not in universities,” Mr Njie argued. “What we know in universities are Governing Council and Senate with the latter as the highest academic decision making body. I hope all other irrelevant positions will as well be scraped, competent and qualified people be hired for serious work to begin so that the UTG as the country’s highest citadel of knowledge production and dissemination is set on the right footing for the restoration of sanity and academic excellence.”
