Hon Alagie Mbowe, The National Assembly Member For Upper Saloum
By Ramatoulie Jawo
Hon. Alhagie Mbowe, the National Assembly Member for Upper Saloum Constituency, emphasized the importance of prioritizing skills training for the youth of The Gambia, particularly in carpentry, metal fabrication, and home science.
He made these remarks on Wednesday during the adjournment debate of the Second Ordinary Session of the National Assembly in the 2024 Legislature.
Hon. Mbowe stated that the foremost issue to address in the country is the development of the youth, stressing the need to nurture them to ensure they contribute to a prosperous future for The Gambia.
“And to do that Honourable Speaker, I think what is fundamental is about the education of the younger generation particularly, TVET. Honourable Speaker, most developed world now, are moving more towards TVET development in those countries. And I think there is a need for us to do that. When you turn around in this country, Honourable Speaker, you count carpenters, metal fabrications, businesses, you name them, most of them are being done by non-Gambians. There is a need for change to that trend if they want to live in a viable future,” Hon. Mbowe said.
Hon. Mbowe emphasized the importance of equipping young people with practical skills to enable them to support their families.
“I remember in the early 90s, we had some very good workshops in high schools, like Armitage High School where I attended. Most of us were trained on carpentry, most of us were trained on metal fabrication, and most of us were trained on home science, it is called cooking at the time. And there is a need for us to revisit that Honourable Speaker. To do that, I think there is a need for us to look at what is going on at the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MOHERST),” Hon. Mbowe said.
Hon. Mbowe underlined the importance of focusing on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). He stressed the need for support in expanding TVET programs nationwide to equip the youth with valuable skills.
Hon. Mbowe highlighted that not everyone can work in offices, underscoring the necessity for young people to learn trades that can generate income for their families.
“There is a need for us to learn something, to be able to do something to where we can generate income for our families. Because when you talk about employment, Honourable Speaker, I think this is one area that we can deal with that will generate employment. You see, you must learn something, even if you are not employed, but you should be able to employ somebody,” Hon. Mbowe said.
Hon. Mbowe spoke of the National Assembly’s need to scrutinize MOHERST’s proposals closely during the upcoming budget session.
“Let’s see the plans they have, and I think it is very important, not only MOHERST, but any ministry that has a proper plan, a plan that we can measure results. It must not be activities, It must be results-based. What do we intend to get? What are the outcomes? Let’s understand that and ensure that we support those budget lines. Results are very important,” Hon. Mbowe said. Hon. Mbowe stated that while activities will guide the National Assembly, the focus should not solely be on these activities. Instead, National Assembly Members should prioritize the outcomes that the Ministries aim to achieve.