Posted by The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) encouraged Gambians to be part of the paradigm shift on Mainstreaming Pre-Vocational Education system within the basic education sector.
Louise Moses Mendy was speaking on Thursday during the official opening ceremony of a day-long National Consultation meeting held at the Regional Education Directorate in Region One Kanifing.
The meeting brought together stakeholders of MoBSE under the theme “Mainstreaming Pre-Vocational Education in Basic Education Sector (Grades 4, 5 and 6”).
“Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) program is being look at by my ministry and MoHERST, and young people need to have skills during their tender age because it is during that stage that their mentally starts,” said PS Mendy.
He used the occasion to call on the educationists to come forward and participate fully towards revitalizing the education system, thus the system need reforms and as a ministry, he added, they want to look at agriculture in details within the schools system.
P.S Mendy told participants that his ministry will conduct National Education Policy review meeting next year and he called on everyone to be part of the process.
The chairman, National Assembly Select Committee on Education, Hon. Yaya Gassama said Gambians, are now seeing the important of TVET in schools while urging all and sundry to address fundamental gap in the education system.
Hon. Sidia Jatta challenged the MoBSE and partners to organize TEVT National conference while stressing that no outsiders will come and develop Gambia for us.
“We need to take part in the development process of our country rather than putting our hope on foreigners. Education system needs to be reconstructed so as to save the interest of Gambians,” Hon. Jatta said.
The main objective of the meeting include organizing and leading stakeholders conference on mainstreaming Pre-Vocational Education in basic education grades 4, 5 and 6, mobilizing local support initiatives and funding from both government and private partners for the implementation of the pre-vocational education in grades 4, 5 and 6.
Working towards achieving the aspiration of one policy goal of the two ministries of education especially in TVET education, to address the current human capital development needs of the country as per the recently launched TVET Policy that will pave the way for bridging the skills gaps that existed between one level of education to another and offering opportunity for creating a competitive career path development for skills sectors (formal and informal) in The Gambia just like in other careers.
By: Lamin B. Darboe
Information Officer, MoBSE