Gambia: Educational sector gets boost from Communication Giant
By Femi Peters (Gambia) – Qcell Gambia Ltd in a bid to encourage learning in the senior secondary schools is sponsoring a ‘Spelling Bee Competition’ through The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) in a tune of 10 million Dalasis approximately ($357,150).
This spelling Bee competition was launched recently in Banjul, the company CEO, Muhammeh Jah thanked the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education for giving Qcell the opportunity to partner with them in the biggest competition that will promote and strengthen the mind set of students in The Gambia. The competition kicked started today the 7th December, 2010 at the Sheikh Mass Kah Senior Secondary School. This competition would involve 70 Senior Secondary Schools within the country.
The first phase of the competition would start with each school organizing among themselves their school houses and each house will select two students to represent them at the end of each school competition.
“For the winning students, first price would be a Qcell 3G mobile phone, Qcell simcard, Qcell credit, Qcell calculators among others while other positions would also be awarded with the latest brand new Dell computer, with a Qcell routers and a Qcell data card with a month free internet access,” he disclosed. “At the end of the first phase,” he stated, “the second phase will bring together winning houses at regional level to compete, while the third phase is the national grand finale that will bring together winners of the regional competition.”
Jah further stated that the initiative was to encourage not only competitive spirit among students but also among schools throughout the country, since Qcell has to train the young to be competitive at national and regional levels as partners in development and has part of its social and co-operate responsibilities. “We are committed that QCell is not going to be just another GSM operator. The idea of bringing to the Gambia “the highest and best” in the telecommunication technology is our goal,” he asserted.
He commended the government of The Gambia, under the leadership of President Jammeh for giving young Gambians the opportunity to contribute their quota to the development of the country by creating an enabling environment.
Also giving his remark at the launching ceremony was the permanent secretary of the Ministry, Baboucarr Boye, who informed the gathering that the purpose of the initiative of Qcell is to improve the knowledge students in English Language, as well as to improve the competitiveness among students in senior secondary schools. He also called for the sustainability of the initiative as failure was not an option, he further appealed to regional directors and head teachers not to see the project as a waste of time.
