The
Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MOHERST), in
its quest to strengthen technical vocational education and training (TVET),
yesterday signed an MOU with development partners, at a conference held at the
Ministry’s conference hall.
The ministry has placed high premium on partnership building to complement government in all activities geared towards enhancing the socio-economic development of the country.
The development and eventual signing of the MOU between MOHERST and their development partners in TVET, is a testimony to the ministry’s initiative and the MOU signed to foster partnership and build synergy that would be mutually beneficial to all parties, align strategic goals and activities to avoid duplication of resources during intervention, ensure that all stakeholders from the public, private sectors and civil society organization are mobilized to provide a network of support structures that could facilitate the effectiveness and efficient national response for post-2015, as well as enhance the knowledge, vocational skills and access to technology for sustainable socio-economic development.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the permanent secretary at MOHERST, Dr Cherno Barry, highlighted the significance of partnership in education.
He said the ministry would make sure children go to school and get sound education, noting that going to school is one thing, retention is another.
He added that the ministry is highly committed to making sure people go to university and other institutions of learning.
“You can learn while you are working under somebody,” he said, adding that it is of great concern knowing the problem of the youth and women.
PSBarry further stated that there was need to sensitize the youth about TVET, and the importance of skills, while emphasizing the importance of having skills.
He urged the youth to learn skills because it could bring potential development.
The country coordinator of EFANET, Matarr Baldeh, said the signing of the MOU was a dream come through because they had been pursuing it for a long time as there is tremendous gain in education.
He pointed out that the signing of the MOU is a huge step forward, as there are lots of children who are school dropouts, and are the future leaders of the country.
“This is a significant milestone, and the skills training centre is doing a lot, because our electricians, plumbers and masons acquire their skills from this centre,” said Mr Baldeh.
He said that skills training centre has reduced the number of unemployed youths, as well as those that embark on illegal migration.
Also speaking at the ceremony, the executive director of Actionaid The Gambia, Omar Badjie, said Actionaid has been in The Gambia since 1979, and it believes there could not be any development without education.
He said that’s why Actionaid had been focusing on primary education, and are expanding their activities on youth empowerment, because youth participation is very important in whatever they do.
He added that the partnership would go a long way in archiving their hopes, and would contribute towards national development.
