By Aminata Kuyateh
As part of activities marking the Gambia’s 60th Independence anniversary, President Adama Barrow on Friday launched the disbursement of D396,761,321.50 under the Skills, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SIE) Fund Training Grants to 25 public and private Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
The fund is a component of the World Bank-funded Resilience, Inclusion, Skills and Equity (RISE) project implemented by the Ministry of Higher Education Research Science and Technology (MoHERST). It seeks to build a competent and skilled workforce to drive the country’s socio-economic development.
President Barrow told the ceremony at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Conference Centre that the investment represents his government’s commitment to nurturing the potentials of the country’s youth and supporting their educational journey.
He disclosed that each scholarship under the SIE fund will include a payment of $400 per student for tuition and stipends, while additional support will be provided for students in regional TVET centres to cover transportation and accommodation expenses.
President Barrow stressed that the government will institute a rigorous monitoring mechanism to make sure there is an 80% employability rate among beneficiaries to ensure that the project targets are met.
“The goal is to reduce the unemployment rate among the youth and women in the country,” he added.
