By Fatoumata Joof
The Honourable Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Professor Pierre Gomez and the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Yusupha Touray on Tuesday 29th of November 2023, received in audience the President of the Republic of The Gambia, His Excellency, Adama Barrow, at the Ndemban USET centre in Foni Brefet, West Coast Region.
The Honourable Minister, Permanent Secretary, the chairperson of the board of TVET, with senior management staff of the Ministry and relevant stakeholder took President Barrow on a conducted tour of the Ndemban TVET centre.
After the conducted tour, President Barrow expressed delight to have visited the highly equipped centre, and highlighted the significance of the center. He noted that this project is part of the ongoing reform process of the education system. “We have always been depending on experts from other countries to train our engineers and technicians,” he observed. This, the President said now has to change “by ensuring that we provide the facilities at home, create the institutions at home and partner with experienced experts to mentor us”.
The President further expressed his government’s commitment to the empowerment of youth, and that the priority is to discourage the youths from embarking on irregular migration.
introducing innovative projects, training the youths, and make them professionals. This according to the President will build their capacities and empower them and make them relevant and responsive.
President Barrowcommended theHonorable Minister and Permanent Secretary, the Chairperson of the USET Governing Council, Mr. Ebrima Cham and the entire staff of the Ministryand USET for successfully implementing such a significant facility for the developmentyouths of the country.
The Honourable Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Professor Pierre Gomez said that His Excellency President Adama Barrow has rolled out a very clear and significant program for the youths of this country, that seeks to address rural-urban migration and irregular migration commonly called “backway”. He explained that this government is working towards having a system of containment. And that having a well establish center that is fully equipped with heavy machineries and equipment is just the beginning of the transformation process.
