By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
Armitage Class of 1991 Alumni has donated school material to Armitage High School worth over D200,000 to assist students with their practical classes such as chemistry practicals, woodwork and metalwork to name a few. Speaking to the Spokesperson for the Alumni Class of 1991 he added that the donation includes 5 desktop computers with a paid one-year internet subscription.
Spokesperson of the Class of 1991 Alumni, Alhagie Sillah Conateh told Gainako Online News that he was pleased to be back at the school he and his colleagues graduated from in 1991.
“When we graduated some of us went straight into work and others went to pursue further education. We are spread far and wide because it’s a large group as we are almost 80 plus” he said.
According to Mr Conateh the group begun to mobilise former class members via a WhatsApp group this year (2021). “Through the WhatsApp group, we’ve been able to hold meetings and decided that because Armitage has given us a lot it is also important that we also need to give back”.
“This is part of our duty as good citizens of this country to give back to the community and the school that educated us. Together with our colleagues from the Diaspora and those who are here we decided to contribute immensely to make sure that we buy some items that are in serious demand” he said.
After “consultation with the school management” Mr Conateh said they “were able to realise that there are needs for IT equipment, physics equipment, chemistry lab equipment, woodwork materials, metalwork material. So, we put up some money together. Over D200,000 has been spent to buy the items which have been presented today”.
In addition to the material mentioned above Mr Conteh says they also donated “five desktop computers as well as payment of one-year internet connectivity for the school. So today definitely we feel very much honoured as some of us have not been here for long”.
“We are also going to embark on a Campus Tour so that we or any other batch will have an idea of what the school needs. Collectively we can all put in our best to make sure that Armitage goes from strength to strength” he said.
In his message to the students who will benefit from the donation, Mr Sillah said that “during the program, we said that the items purchased are very expensive and that the students need to be very serious to exploit the maximum use of this equipment so they can all benefit”.
“It will really help them in their studies and also in their practical experiments. The school head boy said to who much is given much is expected. We the class of 1991 are expecting that these students are going to make the best use of these items to help them in their careers” he said.
The donation ceremony took place on 28th August 2021 at Armitage High School.
Below are two publications featuring exclusive interviews of Armitage High School Principal and Hon Alhagie Mbow of Armitage Class of 1991 Alumni.
We can turn Armitage into one of the best Schools in Gambia says Principal
No Hon. Mbow without Armitage High School says Upper Saloum NAM