Over the years, we have seen the proliferation of training centres and institutions offering professional courses.
Almost on a daily basis, we read in newspapers or hear on radios different training institutions making advertisements about their institutions and courses offered.
However, a good number of them do lack the required infrastructure and well-trained lecturers and trainers, but they keep enrolling students.
For some so-called training schemes, they solicit funding on behalf of poor Gambian professionals to boost their capacity, but end up enriching themselves.
It is high time that the government through the National Training Authority investigated the operations of such institutions and centres, as soon as possible.
It must be clear to all training providers that in The Gambia that any course or syllabus that is not certified by the National Training Authority (NTA) is not recognized, and no one should be associated with such training centres and institutions.
While we are not opposed to any particular training provider or course, we firmly believe that our centres must have the required capacity in the form of infrastructure and trainers, to meet the expectations of the students and the government through the NTA.
After paying huge sums of money or receiving such monies as tuition fees by students or their sponsors, they expect nothing less than a quality and recognized document.
What is taught in our skills and vocational training centres or institutions must be of quality and relevance to the current labour market needs and requirements of the country.
While many of the country’s skills and professional training institutions seem to be doing well in terms of their course content, quality trainers and good infrastructure, many also are just not worth existing since they are just here to enrich the proprietors, administrators together with their Western partners to the detriment of poor Gambians.
It’s quite true that the country needs well-trained professionals to develop the nation, but the quality of such training should not be compromised.
“Quality education should never be compromised”
Anonymous
