The issue of skills acquisition for the country’s young people has always been our call.
We realized that it is only through skills that our youth can live a sustainable livelihood, as skills make them more employable.
Just recently, we also heard the minister of Trade, Employment and Regional Integration calling on Gambian youths to acquire skills, and engage in productive ventures.
To us this call is the right one, and a call that the country’s youths should heed.
Also, we call on the government and the private sector to help the youth, not only in acquiring skills but also by providing them with training centers, as well as materials to be used to enhance their work.
Because it is one thing to acquire skills, but another to utilize the skills. There is the need for continuing monitoring and assistance to young people who have acquired marketable skills.
For example, our youths need soft loans to buy materials to put their skills in good use, thus the need to support them in that area.
As the country is blessed with a youthful population, some say more than 60 percent, we have to take advantage of that, and help develop our human resource by making vocational and technical training for young people, male and female, a national priority.
The country needs experts in all fields and, therefore, needs to allocate more resources to this sector.
As future leaders, our youths need our guidance, support and wisdom to enable them become responsible and productive citizens.
