Pics : The International Open University (IOU) had the honor of hosting a delegation from the Students Revolving Loan Scheme (SRLS), a national initiative established in 2025 by the National Assembly of The Gambia under the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology on 2 April, 2026.

The engagement was attended by the IOU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Makie Taal, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) Prof Dr Aliyu Dahiru, and members of senior management, together with the SRLS delegation.

The purpose of the visit was to formally introduce the Scheme and to explore potential areas of collaboration aimed at strengthening access to higher education through structured student financing mechanisms.

Key Highlights of the Engagement
• The SRLS is designed to promote equitable access to higher education through the provision of student loans, with a particular focus on the coverage of tuition and related academic fees.

•   Discussions emphasized the importance of institutional alignment and active participation in the implementation framework of the Scheme.

•   The proposed implementation timeline was presented as follows:

•   Application phase: June 2026
•   Review period: July 2026
•   Award decisions: August 2026
•   Disbursement to institutions: September 2026

The engagement was highly constructive, providing valuable insights into prospective areas of collaboration between IOU and the SRLS in advancing inclusive access to higher education and supporting students facing financial constraints.