Chinese Embassy Sends Off Scholarship Recipients, Welcomes Returning Graduates

By Seedy Jobe

The Chinese Embassy in The Gambia on Friday hosted a Bantaba for Gambian students awarded scholarships to pursue degree programs in China, while also welcoming home scholars who completed their studies this year.

The August 21 gathering brought together the Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Professor Pierre Gomez; the Chinese ambassador to The Gambia; university lecturers; scholarship recipients; returning graduates; and members of the media.

Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Gomez described the occasion as more than a scholarship send-off, saying it reflected the longstanding partnership between The Gambia and China and their growing cooperation in education and human capital development.

“Through the MOFCOM Scholarship Programme, Gambians have been given the opportunity to acquire advanced knowledge, professional skills, and international exposure in areas that are important to the development of our country,” Professor Gomez said.

He said the scholarships should not be viewed merely as financial assistance for students, but as an investment in people, knowledge, and The Gambia’s future.

Professor Gomez said President Adama Barrow’s administration places significant emphasis on higher education, arguing that the country’s prospects for sustainable development depend largely on the quality, skills, and capacity of its people.

He thanked the Chinese government and people for their continued support and commended the Chinese Embassy for helping expand educational opportunities for Gambian students, academics, and professionals.

“The partnership between The Gambia and the People’s Republic of China continues to demonstrate the importance of international cooperation in advancing education and human capital development,” he said.

“We deeply appreciate the longstanding friendship between our two countries and, in particular, the growing cooperation in higher education, research, science, technology, and skills development.”

Professor Gomez also welcomed the Gambian scholars who recently returned after completing their studies in China, urging them to put their newly acquired knowledge and skills to use in advancing the country’s development.

Kemo Konteh, a lecturer at the University of The Gambia and a graduate of China Foreign Affairs University, reflected on the history of relations between Banjul and Beijing, tracing diplomatic ties to December 14, 1974.

Mr. Konteh said the relationship has produced tangible benefits over the decades, pointing to cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, health, and education, including the construction of the Independence Stadium in the 1980s.

He said only 11 Gambian students studied in China between the 1980s and 1995. Since diplomatic relations were restored in 2016, he said, more than 1,000 Gambians have participated in short-term training programs in China, while about 400 have received scholarships for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs.

Mr. Konteh said Gambian students have distinguished themselves both academically and through extracurricular activities at Chinese universities, describing the expanding educational exchanges as one of the tangible outcomes of sustained diplomatic engagement between the two countries.

Among this year’s scholarship recipients is Mamburey Touray, a member of the Gambia Police Force’s Information Technology Unit, who said he plans to study advanced software architecture and secure systems.

Mr. Touray said he hopes to use the training to help develop interoperable technology platforms for Gambian law enforcement agencies. His goal, he said, is to return not simply with an academic qualification but with practical expertise that can be translated into systems his colleagues can operate and maintain.

Another recipient, Babucarr Mbye, said studying in China comes with responsibilities extending beyond the classroom because scholarship beneficiaries will also represent The Gambia while abroad.

Mr. Mbye, who plans to study auditing and governance, said he hopes to use his training to help strengthen Gambian institutions after returning home. He encouraged fellow recipients to approach their studies diligently, respect their host country and ultimately return to serve as bridges of knowledge, innovation and friendship between The Gambia and China.

Other scholarship recipients expressed gratitude for the opportunity and pledged to use the knowledge and experience gained through their studies to contribute to national development.

The embassy said the Bantaba was intended to celebrate Gambian graduates returning from China while encouraging the latest scholarship recipients as they prepare to begin their studies, further strengthening educational and people-to-people ties between the two countries.