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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Apr 2006 : 17:47:47
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this link was forwarded to me today and i thought i'll share it with the bantaba
it indicates that 60% of The Gambia's graduates live outside!!!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3435231.stm
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2006 : 19:36:55
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Thanks for this piece. My estimate was far below. Gambia is now experiencing what Ghana had experienced in the 1980s. I remember before 1994, there was only one Gambian working at the Commonwealth Secretariat and few years earlier, there was none.
Gambian hardly filled in their quota of representation to many international fora. We never wanted to leave and all retire at home. That was why it was easier to travel overseas and we had no visas with many european countries. infact ireland only introduced visas with us less than six years ago.
Those days may never come. It will certainly not be possible to bring these back with the kind of atmosphere at home. I personally know of more that 20 graduates living in the United States and the number is on the rise. This is just in one city. Infact more seem to be leaving Gambia now. Most of my colleagues in the public service have left or are thinking of leaving. The few i spoke to always tell me that i had not missed anything by being away. This is pathetic and we need to restore confidence in our country that is greatly needed. |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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BornAfrican
United Kingdom
119 Posts |
Posted - 15 Apr 2006 : 00:57:32
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since 2000, the Gambia had the biggest "brain drain" in Africa with 60% of her graduates gone to mostly UK and US. infact, i believe the figure you saw now even understates the reality. you have to remember that in 2000, some graduates still had some hope. with that hope evaporating like perfume, more must have gone within the last 5-6 years.
this why, if i may put it in Al Gore's(former US vice president)words; "An information-poor society" has been created in the Gambia.
Graduates are the cornerstone of any modern society. without them, nothing can and will change. sad story, isn't it? |
me |
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kassma
334 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2006 : 07:34:34
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
Thanks for this piece. My estimate was far below. Gambia is now experiencing what Ghana had experienced in the 1980s. I remember before 1994, there was only one Gambian working at the Commonwealth Secretariat and few years earlier, there was none.
Gambian hardly filled in their quota of representation to many international fora. We never wanted to leave and all retire at home. That was why it was easier to travel overseas and we had no visas with many european countries. infact ireland only introduced visas with us less than six years ago.
Those days may never come. It will certainly not be possible to bring these back with the kind of atmosphere at home. I personally know of more that 20 graduates living in the United States and the number is on the rise. This is just in one city. Infact more seem to be leaving Gambia now. Most of my colleagues in the public service have left or are thinking of leaving. The few i spoke to always tell me that i had not missed anything by being away. This is pathetic and we need to restore confidence in our country that is greatly needed.
you really can't blame anyone for leaving, but somehow wish that people would stay. if the country had a stable government, there is a possibility that more would stay, but jammeh is now in the mix. so sad |
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Samarew
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 04 May 2006 : 10:50:12
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| I believe that if 60% of gambian graduates stayed home, the political situation would have been different. Personally I love my country, but I'm affraid that I might not be able to meet the basic needs of my family if I go home and be pain less than $300(that even seeems too much there)a month.I can see how a lot of people might be in my situation-its just sad |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 04 May 2006 : 11:15:17
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| Whats the essence of building a University to educate and produce more graduates or future technocrats whislt as a leader you don't respect the intellectuals and don't implement good policies? This type of education is not deveoplment oriented but political to say that a university education is available through my efforts. Any sober student critical of government policies is crushed or maimed. If there is no democracy dictatorship prevails. |
Edited by - kobo on 04 May 2006 11:25:56 |
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ranga
USA
149 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2006 : 05:41:08
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| Brain drain is not all bad. Some these brains will become very impressive ambassadors for Gambia. They will also send money back home and encourage friends and relatives to get a good education. They will also inspire others to follow their foot steps and get ahead. All this activity in purely self-interest also happens to be beneficial to Gambia as a whole. It does take a few years though. |
T.K. "Ranga" Rengarajan
Founder, Geoseed Project
http://www.geoseedproject.com
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2006 : 11:00:04
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Its all about attitudes. The graduates must learn that rome was not built in a day. They must learn to sacrfice for the future generations. Another thing most of that 60% are people who got their degrees on those soils such as the UK and US with no cost to the Gambia Gov't so its left to those individuals to leave the cosy west to come home and help develop The Gambia. Nothing can be forced on anyone its all about patriotism.
Sierra Leone's low rate could be due to the fact they have more graduates than the Gambia, besides agood number of gambian graduates got their degrees from FBC in Sierra Leone. Nigerian graduate teachers/lecturers had one of the lowest salaries until recntly viz their mass exodus to lands such as The Gambia.
The gov't of the day should also endeavour to entice graduates to come home or stay home with good pay and better working conditions. |
madiss |
Edited by - MADIBA on 26 Jul 2006 11:01:15 |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2006 : 18:16:06
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| I think getting politics out of the civil service will make a big diffrence. No one should be forced to harvest corn in Kanilai. |
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LEMON TIME
Afghanistan
1295 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2006 : 22:56:35
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| AND NO ONE SHOULD BE FORCE TO CLEAN THE STREETS OR LOOSE THEIR JOBS.WHERE IS DR HEALTH,MBAY AND MADIBA,THE JAMMEH BOYS. |
There is no god but Allah |
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Alhassan
Sweden
813 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jul 2006 : 10:42:38
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
I think getting politics out of the civil service will make a big diffrence. No one should be forced to harvest corn in Kanilai.
Kondorong,
The brain drain has been going on since befor independence. There are many people who had scholarships from the Gambia Government that never came back after their studies. As far as I remember, Gambian graduates have always wanted special treatment at home.Even when I attended Armitage there was a graduate residence apart from where the nongraduates lived. They are also part and parcel of the problems of the country too. I dont know how much have been invested on them. We even see normal people who are sent to represent Gambia never come back home, for what reason? The only reasons have been economical. I think this will soon change as Gambia has its own Uni. now. The only thing left is to try to upgrade the standard of the uni,and create more opportunities for practice. Even the private sector should be open and come forward with problems for the students to solve. It will take time before we can put an end to it. Even in the developed countries, people migrate to get better jobs and money. I surpose the whole reason behind it is money.
Kondorong, were you among those who were ordered to Kanilai to harvest corn? It would be a big waste of time and money if civil servants are ordered to do so. Is there any one else on the forum who is not Lemon Time, that has gone through the same process? |
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jul 2006 : 12:07:32
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quote:
Originally posted by Alhassan
I think this will soon change as Gambia has its own Uni.
also i think the only way out of this is to create a slight surplus. if you have only one or two doctors graduating every year from abroad then its easy to loose them especially if you can't pay their demands. however if you create your own doctors maybe 20/30 for a small country like gambia, then every year you will have a net surplus even if some leave the country.
but again experience counts, in any field. |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jul 2006 : 18:15:01
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quote:
Originally posted by Alhassan
[quote]Originally posted by kondorong
I think getting politics out of the civil service will make a big diffrence. No one should be forced to harvest corn in Kanilai.
Kondorong,
The brain drain has been going on since befor independence. There are many people who had scholarships from the Gambia Government that never came back after their studies. As far as I remember, Gambian graduates have always wanted special treatment at home.Even when I attended Armitage there was a graduate residence apart from where the nongraduates lived. They are also part and parcel of the problems of the country too. I dont know how much have been invested on them. We even see normal people who are sent to represent Gambia never come back home, for what reason? The only reasons have been economical. I think this will soon change as Gambia has its own Uni. now. The only thing left is to try to upgrade the standard of the uni,and create more opportunities for practice. Even the private sector should be open and come forward with problems for the students to solve. It will take time before we can put an end to it. Even in the developed countries, people migrate to get better jobs and money. I surpose the whole reason behind it is money.
Kondorong, were you among those who were ordered to Kanilai to harvest corn? It would be a big waste of time and money if civil servants are ordered to do so. Is there any one else on the forum who is not Lemon Time, that has gone through the same process?
[/quote]
Well i know for a fact that the whole Cabinet goes to harvest corn in kanilai. So don’t ask about the small fish. They dare not ask. There is a Mandingo saying : “ when one counts elders, one does not include God”. He is above the qualities of an elder. Therefore, if it is a Cabinet ritual, then it must be a civil service baptism by fire. When they are ask to jump, they only ask how high and not why they should jump. Even MPs do harvest corn. The Lebanese community all of them went harvesting. Shortly after that Ramzia was appointed National Assembly member.
People even buy land in there and build houses there so as to be close to the Big Man. Land is more expensive there than in Banjul because of the “good will” attached to the land. You graduate to the group of the "untouchables".
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Edited by - kondorong on 27 Jul 2006 18:16:13 |
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ranga
USA
149 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2006 : 07:16:20
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| Does anyone know what percentage of Gambian graduates leave the country? |
T.K. "Ranga" Rengarajan
Founder, Geoseed Project
http://www.geoseedproject.com
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Alhassan
Sweden
813 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2006 : 13:48:58
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Kondorong,
I am realy dissapointed with the said people. Dose the normal Gambians not protess? I know they don't because of fright. In my opinion this assignment should be given to people who work in the said gardens and get paid. This shows how the said people are. It is realy a pity. |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2006 : 13:55:31
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| NJUCKS more doctors to be trained, how much is the training in gambia for someone to become a doctor. do you know. |
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