The Minister of Higher Education Research Science and Technology, led a three-man delegation from The Gambia to attend the Ministers of Youth and Education World Forum, organised by the International Youth Fellowship (IYF), held in Busan, South Korea. Attracting 26 ministers and vice ministers from developing countries, the forum delved into matters affecting youths and possible solutions.
On the sidelines of the event, MoHERST signed Memorandum of Understanding with IYF the following action points agreed upon:
• International Youth Fellowship will build a Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Centre in the Gambia to run Mind Education, construction, computer programme, electronic among others. IYF will apply for land allocation for this purpose and construction work will start as soon as possible.
• IYF had offered 50 scholarships to Gambians to study Mind Education in South Korea. The scholarships will cover tuition, feeding and lodging but participants are to bear the cost of Air Tickets and pocket money. MOHERST will extend this scholarship to public, private institutions and the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.
The Minister signed another Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with the IYF affiliated NGO called COCONUT. They expressed the desire to extend support to the higher education sector with learning aid and to help bring experts to teach in the proposed multipurpose skill centre. They also agreed to introduce in The Gambia some of the programmes they are running in other African countries.
The delegation also held a meeting with the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in Seoul to discuss the current project that is being implemented with the Ministry of Higher Education Research Science and Technology through UNESCO. Both parties were happy that the project is progressing very well after a difficult start. A follow-up project was subject of the discussion and preliminary work is expected to start in October 2022.