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Gambia News : Gambian politicians disapprove Pres. Jammehs warning
Two opposition parties in Parliament, the United Democratic Party and the National Alliance for Democracy and Development, have slammed President Yahya Jammeh’s warning that lecturers and university students should keep politics out of campus.
The disapproval stems from Jammeh’s speech delivered on Saturday at the University of The Gambia’s Convocation Ceremony in which he issued the warning to the lecturers and students
Jammeh urged lecturers to teach the students to become patriotic citizens.
The Secretary General of the United Democratic Party, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe said it is not possible to keep politics out of the University of The Gambia because there are students studying courses that have relevance to politics.
This include constitutional law, history, development studies and politics itself, Darboe said, adding that President Jammeh has no moral justification to issue such a warning.
University culture demands that students and lecturers look at current issues and criticise them, the opposition figure said.
"If anybody feels that your policies should not be criticised within the confines of the University of the Gambia, then it means you are impinging on academic freedom", he said.
The Coordinator for the National Alliance for Democracy and Development, Halifa Sallah, said, ‘I am not sure whether the President is conversant with the laws or acts that established the University of The Gambia."
Sallah added that the President’s call for politics to be kept out of the University is incomprehensible and cannot be complied with by the Senate and Council of the University.
"The reason for this is simple. There is currently a Department of Political Science and some students are aiming to get their bachelors degree in Political Science. Hence Politics must be taught at the University" he said.
Sallah urged President Jammeh to respect the independence of the University and the fundamental principles of academic freedom.
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- Am very proud of the president because the educational system is 100 times better than back in the years. Years ago, we swpent the whole day waiting for transportation to reach our schools. Lets be fair and be truthful to selves. Lets give thanks. BJ
(Posted on February 25, 2010, 11:55 PM bob J)
- besides, you want a leader to be able to think and discuss matters , share ideas and come to terms not someone who always nodds his or her head and then nothing. a sheep who follows where ever ur finger points is not what no one one.
Be patriots? Yes, love your country but be able to stand, defend and know your country inside out. Its called being productive!
(Posted on February 2, 2009, 9:00 PM Maya)
- I think it is not fair for the president to ask for such a thing to not be dealt with in school.
Talking about politics and discussing policies are ways for political majors to learn and understand the different aspects of their studies.
Thats like telling someone, i don't mind you being thirsty and wanting to drink but don't use water.
Mr. President how else do u expect them to learn. Using other countries government structures to learn, afterall they are going to be the future leaders of the Gambia not another country. I think thats what you want, "For all to stay and work int he development of the Gambia and not another country.
Sir, you might wat to rethink about this one inorder to make learning simple, interesting, and confortable for everyone.
I don;t know about other subjects but i see no way of learning and understanding politics without them tapping into the main Frame, The Gambian Government."
(Posted on February 2, 2009, 8:53 PM Maya)
- I recently visited the Gambia after a long absence. The consensus I gather and what I have seen it that there has been some progress in economic activity. However there remain suppression of individual rights and press freedom. At the urging of the President himself, education is vital to every country's development. This includes having world class universities in Technology, Science, Business, Economics, and Political Science etc.
The functioning of higher learning institutions cannot happen without academic freedom where students and teachers debate ideas. Such a forum is what brings great ideas for national development, inventions and so forth.
I would say please Mr. President; we cannot attain human development in The Gambia and Africa in general with continued suppression of dissent. Let the minds of people express different views and let the people peacefully have discourse.
(Posted on January 31, 2009, 5:23 AM Jollof)
- Sallah and Darboe are respectively right
(Posted on January 31, 2009, 4:27 AM junior)
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