We welcome the management of the American International University (AIU) from Guinea Conakry to The Gambia. We also commend them for choosing this country out of a host of others as their preferred base.

The signing of the MOU to establish the medical university in the country is not only a significant milestone in the development of our education system, but also goes a long way to show that that the significant strides made by the leadership in national development, particularly in the field of education is increasingly being recognised in the academic world.

It is obvious that the level of education in the country at present is miles far better than what we had before 1994. In those days only a few schools existed in the country, with quality education reserved for the children of the few privileged elite. Today, the story is completely different; there is no more distinction between public and private schools, not to talk of the establishment of a university for the first time on our home soil; any addition to such laudable achievements can only be greeted with a huge welcome.

What is even more laudable is the decision by AIU to operate in relationship with the University of The Gambia (UTG). There are many things the two institutions can do together to enhance the progress of the university and people of The Gambia.

In fact, the AIU's plan to run programmes like Medicine/Surgery, Dentistry and Pharmacy is something Gambians are looking forward to. The university's decision to charge tuition fees 75% less than what obtains in universities in the United States is also something we should be happy about.

The simple lesson to be drawn from this latest development is that we should be aware that our development process is accelerating more by the day, and education is very much part of the process. The government is doing everything possible to ensure that The Gambia achieves a 100 per cent literacy. We will surely achieve that target in the near future.