100 Students Currently Undertaking Skills Training at Mansakonko’s GTTI Annex Center
Hundred of technical students are currently enrolled and undertaking skill training program at the Gambia Technical Training Institute Annex in Mansakonko.
This development was revealed byWandifar Fatty the Manager of the Annex as the Tekki-Fii officials are currently on tour to the rural communities before the face out of their three years program due in December.
As Tekki-Fii and its implementing partners, IMVF, ENABEL, YEP and GIZ, on Thursday visited GTTI Annex in Mansakonko, which was established in 2007, for the past three years, the Centre was renovated and expanded bythe Tekki-fii program, and the Centre is currently accommodating students that are far from the Center.
The “Tekkii-fii” Program as funded by the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUT) with it objectives to improve economic development and prospects for The Gambia’s youth, including returning migrants, by promoting attractive employment and income opportunities.’
The Tekki-fiiplatform, which is a three-year program, started in 2019 and is facing out end of 2022. The program was designed to help youths to make it successfully in the Gambia and discourage illegal migrations.
Part of the objectives of the Tekki-fii initiative, was to support the Gambia government to boost economic development with a focus on entrepreneurship, skills and small business support for young people.
Speaking at the Annex as Tekki-Fii and partners toured to rural communities, Wandifar Fatty the Manager of the Annex said that the Center runs three different programs which includes construction, solar electrification and rural mechanics (welding), adding that last year, the Centre was able to pump out seventy-five students who took various training skills with certifications.
Mr. Fatty revealed that the GTTI Annex in Mansakonko has received many complaints from people who said that youths are not readywhich he disagreed, adding that the skill trainings should be promoted at all levels.
He urged the government to ensure that all regions have skill training centers, to help youths to have access to skill trainings and be productive in the society.
“The main challenge we a facing as of now is scholarship, some of our students are without scholarship and they struggled hard for accommodation and other things that will make them concentrate in their education,” he said.
He added as their students graduate from the Center, they are taken through business support by providing them with business trainings among others. He added that students are not actually supported with start-up capitals but that they are taken to attachment before they are certified.
With regard to the sustainability of the Centre, he said at their level they have a maintenance unit and both the teachers and students contribute to the maintenance of the Centre, while he called on the need for stakeholders’ financial support in order for the Centre to continue running.
Mr. Ali Sowe, the students leader at the GTTI Annex who is a construction student said when graduated from senior secondary school he was unemployed.
“I was sitting at home with my parents and life was very difficult with me. I latter came to this Centre, picked up a form and came to the Centre for my trainings, today am proud to say that I am a boss of myself,” he said.
MrSowe urged his fellow youths to embrace skill training as it is the only way out. “You can be a university graduate for years before securing a job, but as a skilful person, you must secure contracts and be a responsible person,” he concluded.
