As it is understood, the development of individual citizens is the collective development of a country. This is particularly so in the area of education and the acquisition of technical skills and expertise. The more citizens gain knowledge and expertise, the better their lives.
Therefore when this is achieved on a large scale, that is, more citizens gain knowledge and expertise, the better the state of the country as a whole. Thus it would be accurate to define such a country as developed. This is why governments expend a lot of money to educate the people of a country.
In the same vein, the attainment of higher education and more specialised skills and knowledge signals a higher level of development. The ones who attain this higher level of learning and skills will then impart the acquired knowledge to the wider public formally or indirectly.
It is for the above reason that the recent announcement of the government of The Gambia giving scholarships to 18 lecturers from the universities and colleges is highly commendable. It is a step in the right direction and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research Science and Technology should be encouraged in every way to continue the great initiative.
With more Gambians attaining such high levels of learning and expertise, it will certainly trickle down to not only the students attending the universities but the general public as well. That is what can – and will – lead to the transformation of the country in the very near future.
Although it is not clear which fields the scholarship awardees are going to study, it will be excellent if there are technical areas among this package. If there aren’t any or there are very few, it will be advisable to give it priority in the future. There is no doubt that skill and technical know-how is what is most needed in the country today.
If many Gambians attain commendable levels of skills and technical expertise, it will not take long for the country to be transformed into a developed country. This is the way forward. Kudos are in order for the government of The Gambia!
