A Memorandum of Understanding signed between the ministry of higher education, Moherst, and the Kwame Krumah University for Science Technology, KUST in Ghana was signed Friday.
The MoU is a culmination of a government policy to transform the Gambia Technical Training Institute into a university of science, technology and engineering.
Under the programme, KUST will provide mentorship for the up-coming Gambian university, including lecturing, registration and certification until at least five years when theGambian one would have competent expertise to take over.
“There is provision of a two year extension in case of delays but it very much hopes that this would not be necessary,” said Badara Joof Minister of higher education .
Minister Joof said when he was appointed in 2017, one of the first things he and his ministry did was to come up with new sense of direction in our education system that will focus on science and technology.
“We looked at the institutions under the ministry and picked the GTTI as one institution that can be transformed into this dream.
So I discussed this with cabinet and a paper was prepared which has now been approved. We talked with the World Bank and other international partners and engaged the KUST which has the tradition, culture and pedigree providing services in these fields of study,” Mr Joof noted.
He further revealed that this kind of relation is not new, explaining that university of Fourah Bay started like this under the mentorship of the University of Ghana and the famous Legon University too has similar relations with the University of London. The occasion was witnessed by representatives of KUST and the World Bank, the funding partners in the project.
