Gambia Seeks Russian Expertise in Education, Aims to Boost Student Exchange

The Gambia is looking to strengthen its educational ties with Russia, seeking expertise and increased scholarship opportunities for Gambian students, according to Gambian officials interviewed on the sidelines of the II International Forum of Education Ministers, held on June 10-11 in Kazan, Russia.

Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Haddy Jatou Sey, highlighted the importance of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programs, stating that the Gambian government is seeking to find alternative systems to equip youth with the skills needed to contribute to the labor force.

"We need to find an alternative system where the youth are provided with technical skills and knowledge so that they can contribute towards the labor force, and we know that in Russia, here you have very strong TVET programs," Minister Sey said.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of The Gambia to Russia, Ibraima Sisay, confirmed that Russia pledged earlier this year to double the number of scholarships for Gambian students, increasing the allocation from 12 to 50. The Gambian government sees this as a vital step in realizing national development goals.

"It’s only through education that we can realize our national development goals," Ambassador Sisay emphasized. "Gambian students will be admitted into Russian universities, and this will increase the scholarship allocation to The Gambia."

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The minister praised the discussions held with the Russian Minister of Education, particularly regarding pre-service and in-service teacher training, recognizing the crucial role teachers play in raising the quality of education.

"One of the most important experiences for us is the dialogue that we are having with the Minister of Education and his level of commitment to supporting the Gambia's basic education to move forward," Minister Sey noted.

Both officials highlighted the importance of promoting girls' education, emphasizing the positive impact it has on social and economic development.

"When a girl is educated, she takes care of the whole community," Ambassador Sisay stated.

Minister Sey added: "Rich research has shown that girls' education contributes significantly to social and economic development in a given country."

In regard to specific areas of interest for Gambian students, the ambassador highlighted a range of disciplines, including medicine, diplomacy, international relations, STEM fields, engineering, and ICT.

The officials stressed the importance of accessing technology and information in today's globalized world, acknowledging that without it, The Gambia would be left behind.

"We are living in a global village. If we do not have access to technology and information, then we will be left behind," Minister Sey stated. "So having technical support for science, I mean, technical support for ITC, and having technical support to digitalize our system, I think, would be extremely crucial if we want to remain a global player in this global village."

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The Gambia views Russia as a crucial partner in building capacity across various sectors and fostering cultural exchange, according to the two officials.

"We strongly believe that Russia can play a very, very big role because it's all about transforming society for sustainable development, and people will benefit based on the cultural identities and values of our society," the ambassador said.

The education minister underscored the importance of cultural exchange and mutual understanding through education. She believes that by providing scholarships for Gambian students to study in Russia, there will be a reciprocal exchange of values and knowledge.

"When we bring our children, they will learn about the values of Russia, and Russians will also have the opportunity to learn about the values of the Gambia. So it's a cultural exchange, it's a learning exchange, and it gives our children the possibility to also learn education-wise," Minister Sey contributed.