An agreement has been reached by the University of The Gambia (UTG) and the African Virtual University (AVU) for the introduction of new virtual and e-learning programmes at the country’s most prominent university under AVU’s Multinational Support Project.
According to both institutions through the programme, students will be able to access lectures and earn degrees via e-learning.
UTG is one of Africa’s ivory towers whose students will benefit from the African Development Bank (AfDB) funded initiative.
Speaking at a pre-launch event held by both institutions at UTG’s Science, Technology and Innovation Park in Faraba Banta village, UTG’s vice chancellor, Muhammadou Kah, mentioned the funding support provided for the project by the Gambian government and UTG.
He added the institution has set aside four classrooms at its Faraba Banta campus for the programme.
He said the campus was selected for its high speed fibre cable for internet connection.
“At UTG, we believe that through technology, we can transform learning and teaching; and with a strong and mutual partnership between tertiary institutions, we can show to the world that e-learning has the potential to ensuring quality education,” Kah said.
With the introduction of the programmes, he said students will be able to participate in e-lectures without having much impact on their other official responsibilities.
“We envisaged that this will provide opportunity to our teachers wherever they are to access lectures and gain their different degrees,” he said.
Responding, head of AVU’s Dakar regional office, Thrrezinha Fernandez, said AVU has various ICT methods through which it is providing e-learning training across the continent.
AVU’s senior ICT officer at the Dakar regional office, Declan Ottaro, said the university has trained more than 40,000 students since it was set up in 1997.
“The greatest asset of the AVU is its ability to work across borders and language barriers in Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophpone,” Ottaro said.
