Gambiaj.com – (ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia) – The Gambia is participating in a high-level African Union conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, focused on accelerating the implementation of the Continental Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Strategy for 2025–2034.
The five-day conference, which runs from August 17 to 21 at the African Union Headquarters, brings together policymakers, TVET practitioners, industry representatives, development partners, innovators, and youth representatives from across Africa to translate the continental strategy into practical national action.
The gathering is centred on three key priorities: aligning continental TVET policies with national reforms and labour-market needs, transforming training institutions and programs through digital and green skills, and developing practical country-level roadmaps and partnerships to implement the strategy.
Gambia-linked engagement
The Gambian participation was also reflected in a high-level engagement held on the sidelines of the conference on Tuesday, August 18, involving TVET leaders and development partners.
A delegation led by Hon. Ousman Sillah, Secretary General of SASASNET, paid a courtesy call on Professor Gaspard Banyankimbona, Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation at the African Union Commission.
Don Bosco Tech Africa was represented by Br. John Ngigi Njuguna, Deputy Director, alongside TVET leaders and representatives from Ghana, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Burundi, and Nigeria, as well as the Kenya National Federation of Jua Kali Associations and other partners.
The discussions focused on strengthening TVET systems, expanding skills development, and improving collaboration among African countries and institutions in support of the Continental TVET Strategy.
For The Gambia, the discussions are particularly relevant as the country seeks to strengthen technical and vocational training as a pathway to employment, entrepreneurship, and skills development for young people.
Focus on youth and jobs.
The Addis Ababa conference is seeking to move TVET beyond policy commitments by encouraging countries to develop concrete frameworks and partnerships that respond directly to changing labor-market demands.
Participants are also examining the role of digital and green skills, modernizing training centers, and promoting stronger cooperation between governments, training institutions, the private sector, and development partners.
The engagement involving Don Bosco Tech Africa and SASASNET further highlighted the importance of shared learning and coordinated action in building TVET systems that are inclusive, relevant, and responsive to Africa’s development priorities.
With youth unemployment and skills gaps remaining major challenges across the continent, the conference is expected to strengthen efforts to make TVET a more effective tool for preparing young Africans for emerging opportunities in the labour market.
The overall message from the conference is to “Align, Transform, and Act,” linking continental policy commitments with national reforms and practical measures capable of delivering better skills and greater opportunities for Africa’s young population.
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