Some online platforms have reported that a migrant boat carrying more than sixty Gambians departed from Sfax in Tunisia only to capsize shortly afterwards leading to the loss of sixty lives. This story is becoming all too familiar in the daily news now. Something needs to be done.
The loss of even one life is one too many. If therefore reports of the loss of tens of lives become almost regular in the news, then perhaps it’s high time something serious is done about it. The number of young people, both men and women, risking their lives in the high seas is worrisome.
As it is well-known, most of the time, these young people are running away from the all-consuming poverty and lack of opportunities back home. It is indeed very sad to see young people of this country lose all hopes of succeeding in their homeland to an extent of deliberately risking their lives just to make a living.
It is true that the economic hardships are not only here in The Gambia and that most countries around the world are experiencing some level of economic problems, the case of The Gambia is more pronounced due to the fact that even those young people who are serious about doing something productive find it extremely difficult to have something to do here at home.
One of the reasons for this is perhaps the lack of skills among young people. This is due to the type of education system which, up until recently, focused almost entirely on academic success to the exclusion of vocational or skills training. True, in the past few years more attention has been paid to skills training and the area of technical knowhow.
The focus is now on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) which, it is hoped, will turn the tide so that when more Gambians acquire skills through these programmes, they will find more work to do here at home and that will reduce the number of people trying to smuggle themselves to Europe or other advanced countries.
In the short term however, the Government must seek ways of giving more opportunities to young people so as to dissuade them from embarking on such hazardous journeys.
Young lives must be protected.
