The Business Training Centre (BTC) is celebrating its 10th year anniversary of excellence in vocational training in The Gambia.

As part of the activities marking the anniversary, an inter-schools quiz competition was held yesterday at BTC premises at Cape Point, Bakau, with seven senior secondary schools participating.

Speaking to Youth Forum at his office, the Director and Principal of the centre, Mr. Wasiu Adebayo, said BTC was set up in 1997 by a country-based NGO called Business and Education Trust to provide vocational training to young people of The Gambia.

According to him, the center has six major departments namely Information, Communication and Technology, Human Resources, Accounting and Finance, Tourism and Business Studies and Marketing.
He explained that since it was founded ten years ago, the centre has trained about ten thousand youths in the country, most of whom are currently gainfully engaged. “I always feel happy whenever I go to banks, aviation industry, Gamcel, Africell, police just to name few and see BTC graduates working there,’ he said, adding that the centre is contributing towards the attainment of Vision 2020 objective.

Mr. Wasiu however lamented the problem of learning materials and retention of lecturers as a major obstacles affecting the vocational centres in the country, including the Business Training Centre.
“The lecturers are not easy to come by in this county, although Gambia College is training teachers but the majority is not willing to take teaching as a profession. What would happen if these foreign teachers happened to leave? That is going to be a big challenge for learning institutions,” he asserted.

He revealed that they are planning to build more classrooms at the centre to ensure comfort and be able to cater for more students.
He further revealed that the centre would work with various stakeholders in the education sector to review the curriculum and modify it so as to suit the local market.

Regarding the location of the centre, Mr. Wasiu said they have a strong belief that as a learning institution, the centre should not be too close to a noisy area otherwise it could cause discomfort to student.
Commenting on yesterday’s quiz competition, Mr. Wasiu said the competition was aimed at establishing relationship with senior secondary schools in the country and to know the needs of the students before they join the centre. He revealed that they have plans to organize similar programs on quarterly basis.

He also applauded the Gambia government for establishing the National Training Authority, NTA, to regulate the affairs and standard of training institutions in the country. This, he noted, would lead to competition among institutions thereby resulting to quality vocational and technical education.

BTC Director also thanked Slok Air International, Touba Gas and New Vision Insurance Company for donating the first, second and third prizes for the competition and Kairaba Stationery for donating all the gift items presented to quiz participants. He also expressed gratitude to all those who contributed to the success of the anniversary celebration and for raising the flags of the centre, including his dedicated staff and students.
At the end of the competition, Ndow’s Senior Secondary School emerged as winners followed by Gambia Senior Secondary School while the third prize went to SOS Hermann Gmeiner Technical Senior Secondary School and all the participating schools were given gifts and certificates for participation.

 He finally called on the general public to support the centre in providing excellent vocational and technical education to the young people of the Gambia.

Meanwhile, as part of activities marking the anniversary, a beach party alongside inter-departmental competition among BTC students would be held today. Also on Friday, a graduation ceremony would be held for 2006 class to be followed by an anniversary party on Saturday.