The main purpose of the program was to build capacity development to prepare the graduates to work in both the public and the private sectors with competent discipline, commitment, respect, accountabilty and dedication to the duty and to the state.
Bakary Y. Badjie, minister for Youth and Sports said one of the objectives of implementing the national youth service with outermost seriousness is to prepare the youth to undertake national services with seriousness and dedication to the state by ensuring that they execute national duties with patrioticism and commitment to the state in any situation that they might find themselves.
"One of the cardinal principles of the National Youth Services guiding programme is to inculcate discipline, hardwork, total loyalty to The Gambia by the national youth members and also to serve as a platform to create employment opportunity to all of you that are participating in the program," he said.
"The Ministry of Youth and Sports will continue to support the program of the National Youth Service Scheme to enable young people of The Gambia excel in their lives, secure decent employment opportunity both in The Gambia and outside The Gambia. This will be done in collaboration with partners especially our friends from the University of The Gambia and other actors to lead development programs hence the Ministry of Youth and Sports will help in assisting and creating the enabling environment to decent employment opportunity to support the rapid social-economic development of The Gambia, especially utilizing the youth capabilities with the right educational quality, educational qualification to solid foundation of competency,discipline loyalty and dedication."
"The National Youth Service Scheme implementation and deployment program is very important in developing programs and moulding characters, attitudes and behaviours which can have better impact on the University of The Gambia graduates and to assist them to acquire employment opportunity. The commitment of partners in this noble initiative and the collaboration of all sectors of the government agencies and the support from our development partners especially the UNDP, cannot be overemphasised. This collaboration will be amplified and strengthened by ensuring that the investment makes positive impact in the lives and livelihoods of the university young graduates and the nation at large," he added.
