It is high time our youths started thinking seriously of learning skills that will enable them to provide skilled work for their own development and that of the country.
It would be very difficult for a country to achieve its development objectives without a well trained youthful population.
However, the problem now The Gambia is facing, is that most of the people who complete school want to have white collar jobs, instead of learning skills that would be more meaningful for self and national development.
People have to understand that the government cannot provide jobs for everyone.
People also have to create the means by which they would be self-employed.
We should not allow outsiders to dominate our businesses, at the expense of the nationals.
It is time our youths engaged themselves in small scale businesses and to also joined vocational training institutions in the country to acquire the required skills in order to positively contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.
The danger for the youth not acquiring the right skills is that, if they are frustrated, it can lead them to engage in criminal activities, and even go to an extent of using the back way in search of greener pastures in European countries.
Some may even end up losing their lives, whilst on the journey.
We need our youths to develop the economy of the African continent, and also to contribute positively to the national development agenda.
Lets us invest in the youths for their future development.
In the case of the Gambia Government, it has established the National Youth Service Scheme mainly for the youth, which moulds the m for future careers.
Today, many Gambians who have benefited from the programme are contributing their quota to national development.
We would commend government for such a laudable initiative.
