27/12/2025
Old Yundum Press Club Embarks on a Transformative National Excursion
Guided by the belief that learning extends beyond the classroom, and inspired by the proverb that “I hear, I forget; I see, I remember; I do, I understand,” members of the Old Yundum Upper and Senior Secondary School Press Club embarked on an educational field trip to explore The Gambia’s geography and historical sites. The excursion involved thirty-five participants, comprising twenty-six girls, seven boys, and two teachers.
The journey started in the early hours of Tuesday, 23rd December 2025, when members of the Press Club of Old Yundum U&SSS, accompanied by their parents assembled at the school premises to embark on a four-day excursion trip to the rural Gambia.
The excursion was organised to foster unity and teamwork among aspiring journalists , expose them to real-life learning experiences beyond the classroom, familiarise them with diverse geographical and social environments, and promote appreciation of the cultures, norms, and values of different communities across The Gambia.
The first stop of the excursion was at Barra village, where the team visited the historic Fort Bullen which is located on the mouth of the River Gambia where it meets the Atlantic Ocean, in the North Bank Region. Members of the Press Club were taken on a tour within the Fort by the Tour Guide on duty, who delved briefly on the rich historical background of the site.
From Fort Bullen, the team proceeded to Juffureh, where we boarded a fishing boat to Kunta Kinteh Island. Upon arrival, the Press members were taken on a guided tour of the island, during which they learned about its historical significance and heritage.
The journey continued along the North Bank road to Njenge Sanjal Village, where the team had a memorable stay. During this period, members of the Press Club of Old Yundum U&SSS and the Press Club of Njenge Sanjal U&SSS engaged in a fruitful familiarisation and educational session where both clubs shared the inceptions of their clubs and also discussed their achievements.
From Njenge Sanjal, the team proceeded to the historic Wassu Stone Circles. At Wassu, members were taken around the site, where they had the opportunity to see, touch, and learn about the long-standing history of the stone circles.
The excursion then advanced to Janjan Bureh Island. While on the island, the team paid a courtesy visit to the Office of the Governor, where we met Honourable Sainey Mbye, the Deputy Governor of the Central River Region (CRR). Honourable Mbye held an interactive session with the students, during which he explained the divisional areas of the Central River Region and enlightened the aspiring journalists on the roles and responsibilities of the Governor and his office.
Later, the team visited Armitage Senior Secondary School, one of the oldest senior secondary schools in the country. A walk around the school campus followed, during which student leaders introduced the press members to the learning environment and explained the school's leadership hierarchical structure which the learners admired since the system promotes the culture of discipline, progress and orderliness.
Special thanks goes to The Almighty for making the journey possible and successful. We also extend our sincere appreciation to the administrations of Old Yundum U&SSS under the leadership of Mr Gomez and Madam Jallow-Jatta for their continuous support and encouragement.
Special thanks to the parents and guardians for the trust they have in us the coordinators and for helping our esteemed students to achieve their dreams through the path of journalism.
We would also like to express appreciation to our esteemed students. The level of respect, humanitarian gestures and admirable behaviour shown by you during the course of this trip is truly humbling.We appreciate you all.
Long live to the Press Club of Old Yundum U&SSS🇬🇲❤️🇬🇲💯
