TRIP TO ST. MICHEL DAKAR- SENEGAL
By Anthony Omotosho

Students boarding the Ferry and Bus

Introduction

raveling is part of education. After wining the coveted trophy of 2010 all Senior Secondary School’s Athletic competition sponsored by Trust Bank Limited and the Gambega Industries Limited, the Saint’s Augustine Athletes and footballers left Banjul for Dakar on a 5-day visit. It was a tour masterminded by the indefatigable and dynamic Principal of great St, Augustine Senior Secondary School, in person of Mr. Martin Gomez.

Vice President-Dr.Aja  Isatou Njie- Saidy presents Inter-Secondary School Athletics Championship.With her is the min.youth & sports –Mr. Sheriff Gomez .

On the 25^th of March, 2010 a 60-member contingent including 50 students, seven teachers with three drivers were on board to make the historical voyage to St. Michel. However, the visitation has been an exchange programme between the two schools often times.

St. Michel is a private owned  Institution comprising of a college and the university. It is a co-educational institution of high repute with about 1500 students. St. Michel was founded in 1928. The Rector of St. Michel is Mr. JeanMarie, an information communication technologist. It is interesting to note that St. Augustine’s was founded in 1929, just a year after St. Michel. The two schools are known for their academics and sports excellence.

ON THE FIRST WORKING VISIT DAY

s the news of St. Augustine’s arrival was heralded to the students of St. Michel, the entire atmosphere within and outside the school became alive. It was a much expected visit. The entire students of St. Michel thronged out to catch a glimpse at their visitors from Banjul. No sooner we came into the school premises than the school authorities announced to the students through public address system to gather in front of their various classes to welcome us. The entire contingent from St. Augustine’s assembled at the centre of the school to render the national and school anthem. It was the turn of the host school first. What a beautiful rendition of the national anthem of Senegal as performed by one of the female students.

The Director of St. Michel Mr. Jean Marie who was flanked by his co-staff.  In his welcome address could not hide his joy by thanking the principal of St. Augustine’s for the important visit. He reiterated the importance of such a visit to both school. Mr. Jean promised that city link between Banjul and Dakar will be sustained and maintained. In his epoch making speech, the principle of St. Augustine, Mr. Martin Gomez expressed his gratitude to the management of St. Michel for the manner and way in which the reception was organized. He said and I quote the warm welcome we see here today is a clear demonstration of your maternity, hospitability and love towards mankind. He concluded his response remark by thanking the authorities for honoring our visit to Dakar. It was the turn of the students of the host school to entertain her guests.

Firstly, the choreography department of the school gave us a gorgeous dancing display to the admiration of all visitors. Shortly after this entertainment we were treated to a presumptions lunch break. During the lunch break, the principal of St. Michel, Mr. Jean informed all of us that visit have been a dream come true. This is because, St. Michel has long been preparing for the aimed of St. Augustine’s. Mr. Jean applauded the effort of his counterpart, Mr. Martin Gomez for renewing the city link in the year 2005. The director of St Michel informed the contingent of a new innovation acquired by the school. This is the new technology techniques used for teaching distance students. It is a unique and the latest kind of distance learning because it is an e-line teaching method. As the lecturers are teaching at St. Michel, distance learning students all over the world, receive the lecture simultaneously. After the lunch break, the students from St Augustine’s were group into ten sections while each group was led by the St. Michel school prefects for school orientation which lasted till 4.00pm.

At 4.00pm, we witnessed the beginning of the sports activities. We started with the volley ball. The result was 16-13 in favor of the visiting school. Later, the basket ball took the centre stage .it was the clash of the titans. The basted ball court was filled to capacity because it was in the record of St. Michel that no other schools have beaten or spanked her in Dakar since the school was established.

Never the less, the story of never been beaten did not intimidate the contingent from St. Augustine. Actually, St. Michel put up a fantastic fight to maintain her usual lead but it did not go in the line of history again. St Michel finally threw in the towel when St. Augustine’s won by 32 to 23 points.

Highlight of the Basketball Game in Dakar

St. Michel Choreographers

St.Michel Students

Second day of working visit

 It was a beautiful and promising Saturday morning in Dakar.

Saturday was full of exciting programmes for the St. Augustine’s in Dakar. After the breakfast, we left for sightseeing .Among the places visited were: 1.State House/President’s lodge 2.National Assembly Complex 3.Newly Constructed Monument of African Renaissance 4.Sea Side View etc.

Monument of African Renaissance           Students posing with one of  the  guards    
                                                           at the gate of the Presidential palace

After this, we went for lunch at St. Michel. When it was 4.00pm, the contingent and hosting school footballers left for the football competition at French military Army Base football pitch. The pitch is undisputedly known as one of the best football pitches in Dakar. At the end of the 90minutes, St Augustine’s senior secondary school took the lead by walloping the host, St Michel 4 goals to nothing.

St. Augustine’s Football Team 2009/2010 in Dakar

FAREWELL DINNER FOR THE VISITING STAFF

Dignitaries at the farewell dinner

aturday night, 27^th of March would ever be remembered in the annals of history of both the schools. The farewell dinner was held at restaurant at ministers’ lodge in Dakar. As early as eight in the

accessories to the St. Augustine’s Press Club. Similarly city link portrait signifying diverse cultural value of the people was presented to the Principal of St. Augustine’s by the Director of St. Michel on behalf of the entire students of St. Michel.

Mr.Jeanmarie ( Rector of St. Michel )
bidding farewell to his counterpart ,
Mr. Gomez  (Principal of St. Augustine’s)

night all the staff of St. Augustine, and senior staff of St. Michel were on ground for the farewell dinner. It was a night for dinning and wining in the spirit of love, togetherness, mutualism and sustainability. In his farewell speech, the Principal of the visiting school, Mr. Martin Gomez thanked his colleague Mr. Jean. He told them that he will reciprocate the gesture accorded them and that the hosting school should pay similar visit to Banjul next academic session. The Principal of St. Augustine opined that he would love to have his school transformed to a higher school of learning trough information technology importation to St. Augustine by the help of St. Michel.

In the area of sports, Mr. Martin Gomez called for elaborate collaboration between the two schools for man-power development among the students. He also pledged to emulate the ceremonial dress code currently embarked upon by St. Michel. In his final remark, Mr. Martin expressed his sincere appreciation and gratitude to the Director Mr. Jean Marie for his doggedness, dynamism, experience and management demagogue to the visiting school. Mr. Martin Gomez promised to keep the flag of city link between the two schools flying. Before he concluded his farewell address, Mr. Martin Gomez recognized and acknowledged the efforts of Mr. Adolph Pereira for the successful visit. Mr. Adolph was in charge of orientation, communication and familiarization (i.e. consulate general of city link). He is seasoned lecturer of Business English at St. Michel College University.