By: Binta Jaiteh.
The National People’s Party Students’ Wing (NPPSW) over the weekend held its first retreat, bringing together students from different political parties for networking, team building and leadership development.
The retreat provided a platform for students from various political formations to exchange ideas and discuss challenges facing young people and the country’s education sector, despite their different political affiliations.
Speaking at the event, NPPSW President Yusuf Tunkara said the initiative was designed to promote dialogue and encourage young people to look beyond partisan politics.
“We invited nine political parties, including the UDP and coalition partners of the UDP and NPP. The idea is to come together as young people of this country to see beyond political party affiliations, find a reason to sit at one table and discuss the challenges of the country,” he said.
Tunkara noted that representatives of opposition parties, including the United Democratic Party (UDP), were given an opportunity to address participants during the retreat.
He urges young people to focus on electing leaders capable of representing the interests of the country as the 2026 presidential election approaches.
“We all want to see a peaceful Gambia. Under my leadership, I decided to organize a retreat as a way of bringing youth together. The motivation is to network and share ideas,” he remarked.
Tunkara also stressed the importance of political tolerance, saying disagreements among political parties should be based on principles rather than personal differences.
Addressing concerns that partisan activities could interfere with students’ education, he said the NPP Students’ Wing would not encourage students to abandon their studies for political activities.
“NPP sponsored over $8 million worth of scholarships. Those students never abandoned their classes to attend NPP activities. We do not even push them to attend activities,” he stated.
He said the Students’ Wing sought to promote a political culture in which young people could exchange ideas respectfully while pursuing their education.
Tunkara called on Gambians to remain united as the country approaches the elections, stressing that political differences should not divide the population.
“Gambia belongs to all of us. As we approach the elections, politics should not divide us. Together, we can build a better Gambia,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, student representative Marlick M. Jallow highlighted transportation challenges faced by students, calling for greater support from the government to ease their difficulties.
He acknowledged government efforts in addressing some challenges and pointed to developments in the education sector.
Another student, Adama Gai, raised concerns over tuition fees and transportation costs, saying students from disadvantaged backgrounds often struggle to meet their educational expenses.
“Imagine some of our friends will complete their first semester, but when they move to the second semester, they find it difficult to pay the tuition fees. I want the government to help address this challenge to make learning easier,” she appealed.
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