By: Nyima Sillah
In the process of establishing Technical, Vocational and Educational Training (TVET) centres across the country by the government of The Gambia through its Ministry of Higher Education, distressful youth of Brufut Ghana Town have raised heartfelt concern over what they referred to as lack of Skill Training Centres for them to acquire diverse skills as a youth empowerment drive to be self-reliant, especially for school leavers from poor family backgrounds, and stay away from all forms of clandestine and unproductive activities.
I’mEnock Dazie shared his frustration with The Voice one –on-one interview; this is what he says “Most of the youth in this community have dropped out of school because their parents don’t have money to pay their school fees. If we have skills centers we will take advantage of that to learn skills and help our parents rather than sitting at home without doing anything”.
He also raised another genuine concern about Gambia discrimination against Gambian citizens without national identification. Treating them like foreign nationals in the employment circle and national football arena, irrespective of being a graduates or good soccer players.
Here is Enock Dazie again ‘’ In Ghana Town if you finish grade twelve is no other option for you unless you are supported by an NGO organization but getting a job is not possible because only a grade twelve results cannot get you a job, adding they just randomly engage into labour work which is no guarantee because the boss can sack you at any time or refuse to pay you for months’’.
“Having a certificate is very important because it helps you in getting a job skill job with a guarantee. I focus on fishing but sometimes do construction and painting but I don’t have a certificate of any of those skills. Sometimes I go to the Sifo River fishing for more than a month just to make some money. I help my parents and siblings and save the rest at home to keep it for my fees for skill,” Enock emotionally stated.
Godfred Assabire, who graduated in 2019, also shared his personal better experiences. According to him, went to Casamance in the neighborhood of Gambia to do some labor work as a source of funding for his course at GTMI in order to acquire a certificate that will earn him a living, because it is frustrating to live in Ghana Town as a youth with family responsibilities.
This is how Godfred Assabire further put it “We want the government to help us with skill centers hence we cannot secure a good job in this country. We see our colleagues that were together working in big places making money and for us; we don’t get a chance to get there’’.
Pious Arthur, a school dropout disclosed that the community has a host of talented youth who do not have a place to showcase their talents or be allowed to take those talents to another level. “Youth dominated the community and if we don’t have a good job, how can we support the elders in the community” he distressfully asked.
