By Sering Mass Jallow
Students of the Faculty of Law at the University of The Gambia (UTG) Faraba Banta Campus have suspended all academic activities following a clash with Journalism students over the allocation of campus facilities.
The school, part of the newly inaugurated second phase of the Faraba Banta Campus, was initially designated exclusively for the Faculty of Law. However, journalism students were later assigned to the same building as part of their relocation to the campus.
The move aimed to accommodate about 300 journalism students in the new block, as no separate facilities had been set aside for the faculty. The decision, however, was met with strong opposition from law students, who argued that sharing the facilities would compromise their academic environment.
Tensions escalated when the Journalism Students Association, in coordination with management, held an orientation ceremony in January for newly admitted students in the school’s auditorium, a facility typically reserved for the Faculty of Law. The situation worsened when a large signage was installed at the school entrance identifying the block as the School of Journalism, further heightening frustrations among law students.
Ebrima Jarjue, President of the Law Students Association, criticized the allocation, saying it threatens the integrity of the law faculty. “The space they want to allocate to the School of Journalism includes our library,” he said. “A library is crucial to law students, and we cannot compromise on that.”
Final-year law student Idrissa Sanko expressed concern about the prolonged suspension of lectures. “This semester is short, and delaying classes could severely affect academic performance during exams. Management should find a solution promptly,” he said.
The University of The Gambia has yet to issue an official response regarding the dispute.
