He said that despite the unfavorable 2024 budget of 0.8% of the total Gambia Government Appropriation Budget, with little resources, his ministry would do its utmost to respond to the needs and aspirations of stakeholders.
Prof Gomez gave these assurances on Wednesday as he embarked on a familiarisation tour to the Malik Mendy Tailoring likewise the President’s International Award (PIA).
As part of the institutions’ activities in line with MoHERST’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) program, the tour was aimed at giving the minister firsthand information on strides, experiences, achievements registered and challenges encountered by the institutions.
The tour was also to see how best the ministry could effectively collaborate with the institutions to enable them achieve their institutional goals as far as TVET program and youth empowerment are of national priority areas.
Speaking at the PIA, Prof Gomez said: “We will see how best we can work together to respond to the needs and aspirations of all stakeholders here. After going around, I have seen that you have different programs. You will need support to better enhance your different types of programs.”
He noted that the capacity building discussed on the tour falls under his ministry, adding that human capital is under the domain of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology.
“So, we will see how best we can support with the little resources that we have, though our budget for the 2024 is not favourable at all with 0.8% of the total Gambia government appropriation budget,” he pointed out. “But with the little we have, we will see to how to best share with everybody.”
He said they would use bilateral relations to see how they could get support for training. He also said they would be expecting the PIA director’s formal request to MoHERST to submit names of people with the right qualifications and areas of interests of training.
For his part, Nfamara Dabo, chairman of the board of directors of the President’s International Award (PIA), thanked Professor Gomez for the visit, saying there are a lot of things they need to work on.
They are currently managing with the little they have with old structures, adding that one of the components of the PIA is skills and interest.
They also normally ask students to identify an area of interest, among the various programs they run at the PIA, which include baking, carpentry, electrical, welding, auto-mechanic and tailoring.
Dabo reaffirms that they ensure students acquire knowledge, which would be put into action after graduation to create employment for self and others in the future.
