NTA Orders Closure of Stratford, Banutu Colleges

Acting within the powers vested on it, the National Training Authority (NTA) has served temporary closure notice to Stratford College of Management in Churchill's Town and BanutuBusinessCollege in Lamin, Kombo North, reports from the NTA reveal.

This comes in the wake of a recent Quality Audit Visit conducted by the NTA on Stratford College of Management and Banutu Business College which revealed that current facilities and number of trainers were assessed to be seriously inadequate to either operate as a provider or capable of conducting the number and levels of courses to be on offer.

Both institutions, according to reports, were also found to have engaged unlicensed trainers and thus have to wait until such a time that the NTA is satisfied that both institutions have taken reasonable steps to improve on their shortcomings.

This action, reports from NTA added, also serves as a stern warning to all Training Institution/Providers that the NTA will continue to carry out vigorous Quality Audit Visits on them with a view to ensuring proper training aids, adequate and decent rooms and above all the provision of Quality Course Delivery Programmes.

"Any Institution, Public or Private not meeting the requirements and standards set by the NTA which are geared towards achieving Quality Service Delivery, shall face the consequences.

All trainers without valid license or those whose applications were rejected by the Registration and Accreditation (R&A) Lead Body on grounds of false certificates or improper documentation and are currently engaged in training are here by advised in their own interests, to desist from such practice immediately," reports from NTA maintain.

The National Training Authority, established by an act of parliament in 2002, has Regulatory Supervisory and Monitoring functions over all public and private skills training institutions/providers operating in The Gambia. These functions, among others, include the receipt and review of applications for registration and accreditation as a provider or to be license as a trainer for specific courses and levels.

The NTA therefore advised all training institutions not to engage the services of anyone who does not possess a valid Trainers License issued by the NTA Registration and Accreditation Lead Body.