On July 2, 2019, the IOU signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Soma Senior Secondary School. The signing ceremony took place at the school in the principal’s office in Soma, L.R. Region, The Gambia.

The Country Representative of the Gambian Office, Sr. Aminata Jaiteh, signed the MOU on behalf of IOU while the Principal of the  Soma Senior Secondary School signed on behalf of the second party.

Mr. Sedike Ceesay, the Degree Campus Coordinator, and teacher Mr. Lamin Dibba were presented as witnesses.
 
The main idea behind establishing the MOU and pairing up with Soma Senior School, which would serve as an IOU exam center is twofold:

1. To expand the IOU Online Degree Program in rural areas.
2. To save time and money to those online degree students from the rural communities who would normally need to travel all the way to IOU Headquarters at Kanifing.