University students in The Gambia protest over poor campus conditions
Hundreds of Gambian students demonstrated on Monday to protest deteriorating studying conditions as well as issues with food and internet access, AFP journalists reported, echoing demands by students across Europe.
The protests at the University of The Gambia (UTG) in the capital Banjul, the country’s leading higher education institution, come weeks after demonstrations sparked by persistent power cuts in the West African country whose President Adama Barrow is seeking a third term in an election scheduled for 5 December.
“We’re fed up,” the protesters chanted, a day after their student union had stated that “students continue to endure inadequate transport, limited access to drinking water, the closure of a canteen, unreliable internet and disruptions to academic activities.”
The Ministry of Higher Education stated it had “taken note of the concerns raised by the students”.
The ministry called for “constructive dialogue” and conceded their demands “require ongoing attention, effective coordination and practical solutions.”
On Saturday, the government announced several measures in response to the students’ demands, including the resumption of catering services from Monday, the deployment of additional water dispensers, better transport services and improved internet connectivity.
But the student union called a mass mobilisation, while urging participants to remain peaceful.
Over the past weeks, high-school students in France, Italy and Belgium have protested for better conditions, with some demonstrations turning violent.
