By Fatou Sillah
Dr. Isatou Touray, a former Vice President of The Gambia who is now seeking the country’s presidency as an independent candidate, is calling on lawmakers to raise the minimum educational requirements for anyone seeking the nation’s highest office, arguing that the current standard no longer reflects the demands of modern governance.
In a recent interview, Dr. Touray said that as The Gambia expands its university system and produces a growing class of graduates, it is no longer appropriate for the bar for presidential candidates to remain as low as a primary or secondary school education.
“When we build institutions like universities, and we are churning out graduates, we should not think about the minimum standard for a presidency to come from primary school or secondary school,” she said. “When you think about leading a country, and you want the best critical thinking to come in, you should think about the best opportunities—and that, as far as I am concerned, needs to be reviewed.”
Dr. Touray framed the argument not as a matter of elitism but of national ambition, contending that leadership standards must keep pace with the country’s educational progress and the rising expectations citizens hold for those who govern them. She said that effective national development depends on placing capable, analytically rigorous leaders in positions of authority.
Her remarks on educational standards were part of a broader critique of governance in The Gambia. Dr. Touray called for strengthening public institutions, improving service delivery to ordinary citizens, and holding officials more accountable for their performance in office. She said institutional reform and better development planning were central to her vision for the country.
Dr. Touray, who served as Vice President under President Adama Barrow before leaving the post, said she entered the presidential race to offer Gambians a distinct alternative. She described her candidacy as an effort to chart a new direction—one focused on a more responsive government, stronger institutions, and improved public services.
“I am entering the race to give Gambians an alternative choice,” she said, “and to contribute to shaping a better future for the country.”
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