The International Trade Centre (ITC), in collaboration with the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority (NAQAA), recently validated seven (7) curriculums for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Programme in The Gambia, under various sectors including three under the creative industries (film and photography, event planning and management, and music production and management), compressed stabilized earth blocks, road maintenance, poultry, and permaculture.
ITC is a joint agency of World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations, focusing particularly on developing the export capabilities of small and medium-sized businesses in developing and transition economies.
Permanent Secretary Mod A.K Secka of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MoHEST), in his remarks at the ceremony said TVET gives youths the opportunity to learn relevant skills to be self-employed and contribute fully to national development. He added that TVET also plays a crucial role in producing a highly qualified workforce to boost industrial development.
To that effect, he intimated that, TVET has become a top priority on education and training agenda of his ministry and the government.
“I must say, MoHERTS has a long and fruitful relationship with the ITC in the pursuit of skills development in The Gambia, and today’s event is yet another manifestation of their readiness and willingness to work with the government of The Gambia, not only in TVET matters but [also in] the national development agenda especially on youth and women empowerment,” the PS told the audience.
Seck promised that his ministry would continue to engage partners to strengthen TVET and create the right environment for the TVET ecosystem to thrive, and its players to achieve maximum gain.
The ITC representative Mr. Yusupha Keita, told the gathering: “Today marks another important day in the work of ITC in The Gambia as we come together to validate seven standard and curricula here before us, developed by NAQAA with inputs from curriculum experts, educationists, industry players and subject specialists. We are very proud and happy that the collaboration with our partners has resulted in the achievement of the incredible milestones.”
In his welcoming remarks, Dr. Gibril Jaw, CEO of NAQAA indicated that the curriculums they were validating had been developed by some experts that are people well-recognized in the industry. He used the moment to thank the ITC and MoHERST for taking that initiative and for supporting the development of curricula that are more responsive to labour market needs.
Mr. Hassoum Cessay, Director General of National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC), said if there was any institution that should be grateful about that initiative, it should be the NCAC. He reasoned that since independence in 1965, this was the first time that Gambian creative industry practitioners had been availed the opportunity for a structured training course on any of the creative sectors. To the renowned Gambian historian and author, “this is a fundamental development in the annals of the creative sector in the country”.
Ceesay acknowledged: “We have indeed gone very far; the collaboration between the YEP and stakeholders, and NCAC continues to bear fruit. It is our hope that these fruits will ripen to take Gambian creative industries to a high level of developmental indices that create jobs and growth and social stability. This is what we all aspire and surely, with continued collaboration, we will reach the high heights.”
