By Fatoumata Joof
The University of The Gambia over the weekend organised an orientation ceremony for more than 100 of its new students at an event at the university’s campus in Kanifing.
The Registrar, Lamin Taro, said:
“Your long journey through primary and secondary education has ended and another journey of being a university student has just begun for you. You have now joined the community of scholars doing the envious status of students in an institution of higher learning. I therefore take this opportunity to congratulate all of you for being able to gain admission to UTG from thousands of aspiring senior secondary school candidates.”
He urged them to take the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the institution and get to know their lecturers and fellow students.
He further told them how the UTG operates, saying it is governed by the University council and guided by university Act of 1999.
He said: “The University is headed by a vice chancellor, who is assisted by the deputy vice chancellor, registrar, director of finance and university librarian and these are what we referred to as principle officers of the university.”
Enjoining them to take their careers seriously, Taro said their future is “in their hands” and that it was up to them to “succeed in making it or fail.”
He went on: “We conduct two exams; at the end of first semester exams and end of the second semester exams. If your quality point falls below 2.0 we will issue you with a warning letter. Next semester if there is no improvement then we will send you on academic probation for one year, so you need to focus on your own to attain your degree in the shortest time possible and in order to do this you must plan your time wisely and use all the opportunities and facilities provided effectively.”
Associate Professor and Deputy Vice Chancellor -Administration, Dr Momodou Jain challenged students to work hard to bring to reality The Gambia we all dream about.
The Acting Dean of the School of Business and Public Administration, Fanneh challenged the incoming students to use their time wisely.
The Acting Dean of the School of Journalism and Digital Media Mr Samba Faal said one can be a good writer but that does not make you a good journalist.
“I want to encourage all the students especially the students of the school of journalism and digital media to be serious with your studies,” he said.
