This is the speech delivered by the Minister of Higher Education, Research, Sciences and Technology (MoHERST) at the 2022 graduation ceremony of the Indian Institute of Hardware and Technology Gambia (IIHT-Gambia) on behalf of President Adama Barrow.
By MoHERST Minister Prof. Pierre Gomez
I am very much honoured to be invited on behalf of HE President Adama Barrow as Chief Guest of Honor at this annual graduation ceremony of IIHT. On behalf of HE the President of the Republic Adama Barrow and my humble self, I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate you on reaching this milestone most especially in making education not only affordable but accessible to many. You have made a desirable change in the lives of these young people and given them hope to succeed as individuals and for the development of society. Today, we will witness the graduation of students in IT, Network Security, Server Administration, Digital Marketing and Graphic Design, all of which are needed in the socio-economic development of the country.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In most developing countries, TVET is intended to serve two critical roles in long-term national development: The first is to provide training and professional growth possibilities for the growing number of youths. The second responsibility is to supply the trained labour required at all economic levels. In the absence of paid employment, the skills learned should be able to lead to self-sufficiency and accelerate the growth of the economy. Individuals have to pursue lifelong learning skills to be able to determine their own destiny and career path.
Enhancing employability and labour productivity of people and helping countries become more competitive can aid with structural transformation and economic growth. A virtuous cycle can be created by investing in a high-quality workforce, in which relevant and quality skills enable productivity growth and foreign direct investment, which leads to more and better jobs for the current workforce and more public and private investment in the education and training system. As a result, the existing and future workforce’s employability and productivity improve.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Currently, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology has embarked on the Transformation of the Tertiary and Higher Education sector including Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). This was premised on the need to develop a highly skilled manpower that would champion the growth and development of various sectors of the economy. To guide the transformation agenda, a Strategic Plan 2021 – 2025 was developed and is being implemented with support from our international partners. Two (2) of our main public tertiary education institutions will be transformed into degree-awarding institutions and these include GTTI and Gambia College. GTTI has already been transformed into the University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technolgy (USET) and is running three (3) engineering programmes (Mechanical, Civil and Electrical/Electronics Engineering). Other initiatives being undertaken include the development of a National TVET Policy 2021 – 2030, construction and refurbishment of TVET Centres in various regions of the country and provision of equipment. The promotion of girls’ participation in TVET education will be given priority and the government will continue to increase access through the award of scholarships.
My Ministry is committed to promoting TVET because we believe it has all the potential to change our development strides. The COVID-19 Pandemic has thrown into sharper focus the pre-crisis vision of fair, relevant, and high-quality skills development. This has added an unexpected sense of urgency to the calls for reform and brought to light the enormous costs of inactivity. My goal is to concentrate on planning, executing, and learning from reforms and programmes intended to solve the most fundamental difficulties of skills development. The Institute will surely stand out as one leading TVET institution that can help make that reform a reality, and I am committed to providing any support possible to see many youths given a chance at a more productive life.
The ambitious reform agenda is not only applicable to public institutions but also to private institutions. All TVET institutions are expected to invest in equipment at the workshops, improve capacity of TVET trainers, orient their training programmes to market needs and revamp their curricula to address the employability and developmental prerequisites of the Gambia. The National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority (NAQAA) and the Ministry of Higher Education Research Science and Technology (MoHERST) will be strengthening the regulations along these lines. The quality of TVET graduands must be of high standards so that they do not only look for employment but should be able to employ themselves and others.
Ladies and Gentlemen
I just returned from South Korea and I want to offer it as a model for Gambians to emulate. In 1960, their GDP per capita was $90 but today in 2022, it’s now $35000 representing a 390 times increase, even though they do not have any major resources and the landscape is mountainous. Today Korea is the sixth leading exporting nation in the world. Samsung alone represents 20% of South Korea’s GDP.
I, therefore, call on all stakeholders in the education sector to introduce mind education for a proper mindset to change & develop The Gambia, by reforming the national consciousness. TVET is the right answer. Let’s embrace it.
Ladies and Gentlemen
Graduands, as you complete another cycle of your studies today, surely many of you already have first-hand experience on how important it is to learn a skill and feel proud to be part of that national development process. I urge you to be ambassadors to others to embrace TVET and not see skills development as the last choice in our education ladder. Go forth proud of your achievements and be comforted that you will soon earn enough even to employ someone paid as much as a Minister. It is of critical importance that more young people should be interested in pursuing knowledge relevant to national development. National development cannot be attained in a vacuum.
Parents should be commended as well. Education is a costly endeavour. You’ve made a significant investment by looking at yourself and how far you’ve come. Parents, guardians, and sponsors have put a lot of money into you. It is believed that sooner or later, parents will be repaid for their wise investment. You should be proud of yourself for making such a sensible investment.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In conclusion, let me once again extend gratitude and appreciation to the management, staff, students and parents of the Institute for according to me this opportunity to be part of this great family. I want to further thank the staff and students for their dedication and commitment to realizing the dreams of the Founders of the School. May you all receive God’s abundant blessings.
I thank you all for your kind attention