By Lamin Cham
President Adama Barrow on Saturday presided over the 13th convocation ceremony of University of the Gambia (UTG) at Q City where nearly 973 students graduated in different fields of study.
The president reminded the graduands that one of the roles of the university is to groom good citizens for adult life that is positive, rewarding and fulfilling. He said generally, university life is expected to equip students with experiences, higher analytical skills, creative thinking and the ability to explore and act on useful knowledge which should shape the students’ behaviour and thoughts for transformation into impactful citizenship.
He urged the graduands to consider, among others, such questions as: Are we content with the way society is? What can we do positively, as individuals and collectively as a people, to change the negative and harmful elements around us? How can we usefully and honestly serve our nation and society at large? What values and principles must we respect and never compromise?
Speaking earlier, Mathew Ndure, the interim chairman of the UTG governing council reported with satisfaction the return of the convocation lecture series at the university after a break of more than a decade.
“It is our hope that we would now have an unbroken string of annual lectures, because we undoubtedly have enough distinguished Gambian academics and renowned persons at home and in the diaspora whom we can call upon to share their thoughts,” he said.
