By Oumie Bojang
The former abandoned Crab Island Junior Secondary School in Banjul has been metamorphosed into a technical vocational education training centre (TVET).
The transformation of the former popular school was supported by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research Science and Technology, the Turkish Cooperation, MRC Holland Foundation, and the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.
Speaking at the inauguration of the project, Claudiana Cole, the basic education minister, applauded the initiator and National Assembly Member Ousman Sillah for the vision and foresight.
“Sillah has been relentless in his ambition and dream to have a skills development training centre to cater for the needs of the youths of the city and others who may want to benefit from the opportunity of skills development.”
The minister said the initiative has been designed in the existing 2016-2030 education policy that focuses on addressing the continuation of education service delivery in a coherent integrated and sustainable manner with the ultimate goal of improving the human capital of The Gambia.
She added that the project will only help in advancing skills acquisition and development, but will also complement government’s efforts in providing technical and vocational training education to the door-step of the many unemployed youths of Banjul.
Ousman Sillah said Crab Island had contributed a lot to making him who he is today.
“When I pass through the school that I have been a beneficiary of, seeing it abandoned has become an eye sore for me so I approached the ministry and they told me that they have plans to transform it into a vocational school… and I identified well- meaning Gambians who by virtue of their profession, have vocation education to help establish a foundation. That’s how we started the process,” he explained.
Muhammed Akif Evan, resident representative of Tika, the development agency of the Turkish government, expressed his gratitude and appreciation to Mr Sillah for bringing the project to their attention. He said the Turkish government was elated to take part in the project.
“Turkey and The Gambia have brotherly relations and enjoy strong cooperation in many fields [including] education. Vocation training is one of them. The Turkish government is honored to contribute to the socio-economic development of The Gambia prioritising human-oriented projects in education, vocational training and health,” Mr Evan stated.
