First batch students of Gambia College annex in Basse who were promised free accommodation, scholarship, and allowance are now left in dilemma after promises failed.
The batch of students pursuing Advanced Diploma Primary and Diploma program were relocated to the school on the 6th January, 2020.
Registering their grievances, students of the College complained that students in the institution are giving D350 for rent (per bed) for the month of February 2020 (assumed dormitory) which was purposely built for them. But Ebrima Nyabally, accommodation minister at Basse campus said “the hostel/dormitory in the campus was built and supervised by a private individual not the college administration.”
According to him the students were informed by the college authorities that the dormitory was constructed by a private individual and was not part of the contract funded by the MRC Holland Foundation. As a result of that the dormitory will be a private residence for the students at Basse campus.
Mariama Cham, an Advanced Diploma Primary student, said: “rooms in the dormitory can lodge up to four students per room in which each is expected to pay the (D350) per month.”
She affirmed the good standard of the rooms in the dormitory but with the good condition and facilities in each room, she said students will still find it very difficult to pay the rent.
She called on the college authorities to intervene as soon as possible and help them look into the cost for the rent and see how best it can be reduced and affordable for them.
Babucarr Ceesay, education minister at the Basse campus complained about the lecturers saying “we are not happy with the part-time lecturers who are not leaving with them. He said they will prefer full time lecturers who will stay with them.”
He however appealed to the lecturers who originated from the rural Gambia to go back to support, serve and contribute to the development of not only the nation but their own people.
He said he is working hand in hand with the coordinator to make sure that they are provided with competent lecturers who will be serving on full time bases.
However, Madam Fofana the Coordinator for the Basse campus said: “the dormitory is not under the college administration but a private individual that’s why student are charged (D350) per month.”
She said she doesn’t know anything and cannot say anything with regards to the funding of the dormitory project situated on the land of the Gambia College in Basse.