The Qgroup Foundation and the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) recently awarded scholarships to 10 deserving students in pursuit of their academic aspiration.
The ‘Qgroup Foundation MoBSE Scholarship Program’ awards deserving students across the Seven Educational Regions in The Gambia in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) areas.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Ajaratou Mrs. Isatou Jah, Executive Director of Qgroup, reminded that they have officially announced the launch of the scholarship program in October 2021. She explained to her audience the Qgroup Foundation is a philanthropic organ of the Qgroup of companies, through which they streamline their initiatives and interventions with the aim of contributing to national development.
Mrs. Jah continued: “Since our inception, we have been supporting initiatives focused on sustainable development in the areas of education, health, youth and community development.
“We signed MoU with MoBSE to establish a cooperative relationship, to promote partnership based on active dialogue and interaction in the development of education.
According to the Qgroup, Executive Director, they had been supporting tens of students yearly, particularly the under-privileged, to access tertiary education at University of The Gambia (UTG) or Gambia College, but they have realized that most of the students that come for the programme are either studying accounting or development studies. She added that being a technology based group, they have been having challenges finding suitably qualified Gambians in technology and related areas.
“Therefore, the partnership was specifically established to bridge the gap that we are seeing in our institutions of higher learning and encourage young Gambians to venture into Mathematics, Sciences and ICT-related programs at the University of the Gambia (UTG)”, said Madam Jah.
The process of selecting the selected awardees, she admitted, had been a difficult and painstaking one for the committee (Qgroup Foundation MoBSE Scholarship program), noting that all candidates were very good and demonstrated financial need, but in the end, they had to select only 10 students.
Mr. Louis Moses Mendy, Permanent Secretary (PS) at MoBSE, stated that the nation is battling with science, in times of health care, technological science, and that the country imports people from outside the country in these areas.
“If we are beginning to train our own Gambian children with the aim of these people taking the leadership in sciences tomorrow, it is something that is worth celebrating. Four years down the line, you will be graduating with diverse disciplines, and it is our hope that you will further that training, thereafter, to the Masters and PHD levels”, the PS intimated.
“I challenge you, the selected students, to make best use of the scholarship; perform beyond expectations so as to inspire others. I equally want to urge the parents to continue giving moral and mentorship assistance to their children,” he echoed.
PS Mendy used the opportunity to call on other entities to emulate the Qgroup Foundation and provide support to students in other subject areas.
A beneficiary, Cherno Jallow, on behalf of his colleagues expressed sincere gratitude to the Qgroup and MoBSE for the initiative, stressing it would be a corner stone in achieving their academic aspirations.
He promised Qgroup and MoBSE that they would make judicious use of the scholarship to leave up to expectations.
