By: Kemo Kanyi
The Vice President Muhammed B.S Jallow has emphasizedthat the idea behind the establishment of technical and vocational education and training centers in The Gambia is to transform the country’s economic and social outlook.
‘’The launch of the new Recovery National Development Plan 2023-2027 clearly demonstrates our commitment to addressing unemployment and underemployment under the human capital development pillar. The government has significantly boosted Technical and Vocational Education and Training [TVET] as a strategic choice to build the nursery skills for the country’s economic and social transformation. This focus on TVET education aims to create jobs and provide our youth with the skills needed to secure employment not only in The Gambia, but also abroad,’’ VP Jallow pointed out in a statement delivered on his behalf by Prof. Pierre Gomez at the opening ceremony of the National Employment Forum at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre.
He described the forum as a testament to government’s collective commitment to addressing the challenges of unemployment and underemployment of Gambians and ensuring a brighter future of all Gambians, particularly the youth.
“The forum underscores my government’s dedication to sustainable development through job creation, inclusive growth, and the empowerment of our people, especially the youth and women. Achieving these goals requires the active participation of all stakeholders, including job seekers, employers, workers, and employment champions,” stated VP Jallow.
‘’We committed ourselves to create a total of 150, 000 jobs during the lifespan of the policy. Today, we gather here to reflect on our commitment towards that goal and assess how far we have progressed in achieving it. Since the launch of the policy, my government has intensified efforts to create opportunities for employment through various programs and projects,’’ he added.
The vice president stated that the government of The Gambia has established several funds to support private sector development, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises which, he asserted, hold great potential for job creation and improving livelihoods.
“Among other initiatives, we have invested heavily in road construction as a means of stimulating economic growth and creating jobs. We are leveraging our diplomatic relations to negotiate opportunities for supplying surplus labour abroad. Today, we have signed three bilateral labour agreements with different countries in facilitating the employment of Gambians overseas. The Gambia is potentially endowed with a demographic dividend that if harnessed effectively can drive sustainable economic growth and development,’’ he explained.
He extended gratitude to the European Union (EU) for financial support which, he acknowledged, has been instrumental in holding the National Employment Forum, adding that EU’s contributions to addressing unemployment in The Gambia are deeply appreciated. He further thanked the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for developing the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) forprivate recruitment agencies.
