President Adama Barrow has pledged a decisive government investment in education and concrete youth‑empowerment measures during a townhall “Bantaba” with the National People’s Party (NPP) Students’ Wing at the party’s Headquarters, Bundung on Saturday.
The event attracted students from universities across The Gambia to press the president on security and other important national issues. Barrow opened by recounting his personal journey from Mankamang Kunda to the presidency and used it to urge students to remain disciplined, focused and patient in pursuit of their studies.
The Gambian leader said security is expensive and urge Gambians to support the government to fight crime.
Barrow announced targeted, measurable steps under the NPP’s nine‑point agenda to strengthen education, security and youth opportunity. He committed the government to increased budget lines for school infrastructure, expanded scholarships for high‑performing and disadvantaged students, accelerated recruitment of qualified teachers, and upgrades to technical and vocational institutions including MDI, GTTI and Gambia College.
On youth employment, the president promised stepped‑up skills training, scaled apprenticeship programmes and incentives for small and medium enterprises that hire graduates. He prioritised youth‑led agribusiness and digital entrepreneurship, expanded public‑works placements and pledged gender‑targeted measures to boost women’s economic participation.
NPP Students’ Wing president Yusuf Tunkara praised scholarship schemes and infrastructure reforms and pledged continued mobilisation behind the party’s development agenda.
He highlighted ongoing projects such as the Faraba Banta campus expansion and reforms upgrading key institutions like MDI, GTTI and Gambia College, describing them as “visionary reforms” that will strengthen skills development and national competitiveness.
“The future of any nation lies in the quality of its youth. By investing in students today, you are investing in tomorrow’s doctors, engineers, teachers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, scientists, public servants, and national leaders. We assure you that the confidence you continue to place in young people will not be misplaced. We shall continue to serve with discipline, integrity, patriotism, and unyielding commitment to the development of our beloved nation.”
The students’ wing reaffirmed its support for the party’s leadership and pledged continued mobilisation around education, civic responsibility and national development goals.
The meeting brought together students from various universities under the NPP Students’ Wing, who engaged the president on issues affecting education.