‘Reimagine Education In West Africa’…Gambia’s Higher Education Minister Urges

Gambian Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Prof. Dr. Pierre Gomez, has urged stakeholders across West Africa to reimagine higher education to build a prosperous and resilient region. Delivering the keynote address on September 1, 2025 at the Second International Conference of the West African Anglophone Quality Assurance Network (WAAQAN) at Cuttington University, Prof Gomez stressed that quality assurance must move “from quality to impact” if universities are to contribute meaningfully to national development and regional integration.

The conference, held under the theme “Improving Higher Education Institutions Ecosystem Through Quality Assurance”, brought together ministers, vice chancellors, rectors, academics and quality assurance practitioners from across Anglophone West Africa. Prof. Gomez outlined reforms undertaken in The Gambia to strengthen higher education, including amendments to the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority (NAQAA) Act, the establishment of a National Qualifications Framework, and the expansion of quality assurance coverage to technical and vocational institutions. He said these steps aim to align The Gambia’s education system with regional and international standards.

“Quality assurance is not a luxury. It is the foundation for institutional credibility, student mobility, regional integration, and global competitiveness,” he said, adding that quality transforms “credentials into competencies and institutions into engines of innovation.” He highlighted capacity-building initiatives, such as training workshops for internal quality assurance units in universities and colleges, and emphasised the importance of regular quality audits to promote continuous improvement.

However, Prof. Gomez acknowledged ongoing challenges, including limited funding, capacity gaps in online programme evaluation, and the need for greater collaboration with industry to ensure curricula remain relevant to labour market demands. He called on governments, higher education institutions and quality assurance agencies to forge stronger partnerships and harness digital technologies to improve systems across the region.

“Networks like WAAQAN offer invaluable platforms for sharing experiences, harmonising practices, and building collective capacity,” he said, reaffirming The Gambia’s full support for the network’s objectives. Prof. Gomez urged participants to see quality assurance as more than compliance, stressing that higher education must produce graduates who are “problem-solvers, critical thinkers, and ethical leaders.” He concluded by challenging delegates to commit to concrete actions that would strengthen higher education institutions and transform societies across West Africa.

By Jacob Kermue/ jacobkermue4@gmail.com/ 0775187091/0888809944