Speaking at the policy validation workshop held on Tuesday at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo, the Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Professor Pierre Gomez, described the policy as a transformative initiative that will safeguard the rights and welfare of interns while creating meaningful learning opportunities for young Gambians.
He said the policy seeks to ensure that every internship provides quality workplace learning experiences, promotes fairness and inclusivity, strengthens collaboration between educational institutions and employers, and ultimately improves employment outcomes for graduates.
“The objective is to produce a policy that is practical, implementable and responsive to labour market needs while serving generations of young people for years to come,” Professor Gomez said.
The minister stressed that the successful implementation of the policy will depend on strong collaboration among government ministries and agencies, educational and training institutions, employers, development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector.
According to him, the framework is aligned with the Ministry’s transformation agenda and the country’s broader development priorities, including investments in human capital, decent work and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those relating to quality education, economic growth, reduced inequalities and strong institutions.
He added that the policy complements ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening workforce development, enhancing productivity and supporting inclusive economic transformation.
The validation exercise brought together key stakeholders to review the draft policy and provide final recommendations before its adoption, ensuring that the framework reflects national priorities while incorporating international best practices.
Also addressing participants, Lamin B. Manneh, Director of Quality Assurance at the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority (NAQAA), described the policy as a historic milestone for The Gambia’s education sector.
He noted that, for the first time, the country will have a comprehensive national framework that institutionalises internships as an essential component of education and skills development.
According to Mr. Manneh, the policy clearly outlines the responsibilities of government, NAQAA, training institutions, employers and students to ensure internship programmes are well-structured, supervised and beneficial to all parties.
He explained that the framework aligns with the National TVET Policy, the Recovery-Focused National Development Plan, the National Employment Policy and the Gambia National Qualifications Framework.
The policy also introduces flexible internship pathways, including credit-based internships, non-credit internships and graduate internships, enabling students and graduates with different educational backgrounds to gain practical workplace experience.
Mr. Manneh further revealed that NAQAA will establish minimum national standards to guide internship implementation and require institutions to develop effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure quality, accountability and continuous improvement.
He added that the Authority also intends to support tracer studies, labour market assessments and evidence-based reviews to keep internship programmes relevant to the country’s evolving development needs.
Once adopted, the National Internship Policy is expected to bridge the gap between education and employment by equipping young people with practical workplace skills while providing greater protection, clearer standards and improved opportunities as they transition into the labour market.
