By Yunus S Saliu
It was another joyful occasion for students, families, friends and staff of the Institute of Travel and Tourism of The Gambia (ITToG), as the institute graduated 205 students who had undergone intensive course in travel and tourism related courses and as well awarded six tourism prominent personalities who have served the sector with excellence and absolute dedication.
This year event marked a combination of 13th and 14th graduation ceremony of the institute and it comprised class 2019/2020 and 2020/21 from level 1, 2, 3 respectively. The studied courses included travel and tourism, Amadeus Booking System; Cabin Crew; No Woman Left Behind and Event Planning and Management.
Speaking at the ceremony, Sheikh Tejan Nyang; Head of School gave a comprehensive report of the 2020/2021 academic year noting that the institute had 137 paying students “this includes 50 sponsored students by Youth Empowerment Project and 30 by the Catalan Agency for cooperation and Development.” He also used the ceremony to discussed about the institute’s achievements, new project; work attachment program; mentorship; staff and training programs; sub regional tourism collaborations among others.
However, he noted that the 2021/2022 academic year was late to start with only 26 students intakes in different areas of specialization citing Covid-19 pandemic as the cause of the low number which has made it difficult for parents to pay the school fees, as it affecting the tourism industry more than any other sector and “parents are in doubt if their children will have employment after graduation.”
The Head of the School noted that the low intake students will have a serious impact on the institute financial sustainability but hope that the situation will improve given “our new strategy of diversifying our subject areas and with the drive by government and private sector as the tourist seasons” recently opens.
Among other challenges of ITTOG he identified, is the yet to complete school building that been lying dormant for over 5 years and “we have knocked on all doors without no help.”
Mr Nyang disclosed that ITToG. this academic, has introduced new practical course which is cookery, pastry and local food processing which seems to be topping the list of intakes in the ongoing academic year.
In addition, he said the school had sponsorships that helped to shape the institution back to life again, as “the sponsorship of 30 women in culinary arts on cookery, pastry and food processing is indeed commendable.”
He dilated on the school projects which include No Woman Left Behind saying it is a project aims to train and employ socially excluded women as professionals in responsible and sustainable tourism businesses in The Gambia while promoting the exercise of their human and gender rights.
Mr Nyang thanked all partners including Gambia Tourism Board; Youth Empowerment Programme (YEP); Best of Africa; Santander Bank Foundation; Catalan Agency For Cooperation and Development; Ethnic Association Development; TAF Africa Global; Trust Bank Limited; Unique Solutions; Royal Insurance Gambia Limited; friends Alieu Secka , Pa Modou Sarr and Azis Khan who have all contributed to the success of ITToG and as well WAII and the two volunteers Freya Rattenbury from U.K and Giovanna Doddato from Italy who have been helping the institute on various projects.
The guest speaker, Fatou Jagne Senghore congratulated the graduants and highlighted some important and crucial role of women as regarding gender empowerment.
She said one cannot talk about equality, empowerment when in the private places, offices women are not free to express their views, not free of harassment, “which are all issues that need to talk about when talking about empowerment.”
So women empowerment can be politically, economically, but most importantly, she said, “empowerment to choose career.”
However, she noted that many people thought that tourism sector is an easy sector but it is most difficult because “you need to be resilient, fight the stereotype around the sector and most importantly you need to push because it is a changing sector that you need to involve, learn as you are going in other to reach a certain level especially in decision making.”
She urged them to believe in themselves to know that they are in the right place by working harder to get to greater height.
Adama Bah, chairman board of directors of ITToG as well talked widely on travel and tourism, entrepreneurship, skills knowledge, attitude which he said is mother of everything.
ITToG Graduates 205 in tourism related courses, awards tourism personalities
