The Secretary of State for Higher Education, Science and Research, Hon. Abdoulie Sallah is blaming the lack of technical trained human resources, with relevant skills, for being a major factor holding back successful industrial growth. He noted that industry, agriculture and trade are the major components that govern the economic growth and prosperity of any nation. “The backbone of all this is undoubtedly education, more specifically, technical and vocal education and training anchored on sound management of resources”.

Secy Sallah made these remarks at the official opening of a two day international conference on Progress Through Partnership: an experience of vocational education” organized by GTTI, MDI, NTA in conjunction with  City College Birmingham  on Tuesday at the Kairaba Beach Hotel. 

According to Secy Sallah it has been established that the acquisition of appropriate skills in both technical and social fields is required to cope with the challenges presented by the evolving needs of the work place.

He said: “Education and training systems that respond adequately to these demands will contribute to the efforts to overcome the growing unemployment and marginalisation of young people and adults, especially in a developing country like The Gambia. By providing access to learning experiences designed to broaden skills, TVET programmes can increase productivity and significantly improve the fortunes of the unemployed youths,”

Hon Sallah further highlighted that technical education, as enshrined in the National Policy on Education, is concerned with qualitative technological human resources development, adding that this must then be directed towards achieving a pool of skilled and self-reliant craftsmen, technicians and technologists in technical and vocational fields.
 
Secy Sallah stated:  “Chairperson, ladies and gentlemen.  A holistic and integrated human resource development programme in TVET aims to prepare the individual to become a responsible , free and mature person, equipped with the appropriate skills,-including a working knowledge of the latest technologies- but with a deep human and spiritual values and attitudes, a sense of self-worth , self-esteem and dignity , an ability to work by oneself and with others in teams, with integrity and honour , with honesty , punctuality and responsibility , to adapt to varying situations , to know and understand problems and issues, to work out solutions creatively , to resolve conflicts peacefully , to have good grasp of the reality of the world, of oneself and others, to possess some general knowledge with specialization in some fields or area of work , and to acquire the ability to continue learning and pursue lifelong education in a learning society.”

He went on to urge the participants to take the two-day conference seriously.