By: Sahr A.K. Lamin (Kekeh Sahr)
A sense of pride and achievement filled the air at the recent certification ceremony for grandaunts of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) program, which took place on Friday, June 14th, 2024, at Freetown City Council Auditorium. This program was funded by the World Bank Skills Development Fund through the Ministry of Tertiary and Higher Education and the National Council for Technical Vocational and Other Academic Awards (NCTVA). These graduates now have the skills and knowledge to thrive in their chosen fields.
Shedding light on the graduates, the Minister of Tertiary and Higher Education, Dr Ramatulai Wurie, expressed that these graduates are now equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in their chosen fields. She further pointed out that the ceremony was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the graduates, who have spent months honing their craft and mastering various technical skills. From carpentry to computer programming, tourism studies, automobile, et al., “These individuals have shown that anything is possible with the right training and support.” She averred.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of NCTVA, Prof. Abdul Babatunde Karim, emphasized the importance of investing in vocational education and training programs to drive economic growth and create opportunities for all. He commended the graduates for their perseverance and commitment to learning, highlighting them as future leaders in their respective industries. Prof. Karim further shed light on capacity building, in which he accounted for the project equally, so he conducted capacity building workshops for NCTVA management and staff, management and staff of public, private and NGO training providers, and sectoral experts from the industry. He pinpointed that the project also trained facilitators on the development of training packages, facilitators of learning, assessors and moderators, which were key objectives of the project. According to him, system strengthening has been largely achievable, which involved drafting a policy framework for establishing a system for conducting efficient, effective, and systematic assessments and certifications while implementing the new training packages.
While presenting the 300 donated tablets to the TVET Institutions, Mr Salieu Barrie, a representative from the World Bank Skills Development Program, said the devices were donated to enhance the easy transfer of data by the institutions to the NCTVA and MTHE system. He continued by stating that most of the training given to the graduates is in high demand in the job market, and the TVET program is a long-term project.
As the graduates received their certificates, smiles of accomplishment lit up their faces, reflecting the hope and promise of a brighter future. The Certification Ceremony marked the end of a chapter and the beginning of new opportunities and possibilities for these skilled professionals to boost middle-level manpower.
