Within the framework of the Vocational Education and Training Programme for the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-VET), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Gambia OIC-Secretariat, organized a Training of Trainers (ToT) Course on “Business Formation and Entrepreneurship Skills Development” on 08-10 November 2021 through an online video conferencing platform.

The ToT course was provided by a competent expert for the benefit of 29 experts and trainers from the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutions and Business Development Institutes in the Gambia.

The main objective of the ToT course was to equip the participating trainers with the skills needed to plan and manage training activities as well as to conduct mentoring sessions for entrepreneurs according to international standards. The ToT course also focused on providing both theoretical and practical aspects of business formation and entrepreneurship to assist TVET trainers in delivering quality education to the Gambian entrepreneurs and helping them overcome the challenges faced in their businesses.

The ToT course commenced with the opening statement by H.E. Mr. Nebil DABUR, Director General of SESRIC. During his speech, H.E. Mr. DABUR expressed his pleasure in organizing this ToT course, which is the first activity out of three activities identified and agreed upon by SESRIC and the Gambia-OIC Secretariat to be implemented within the framework of the preparations for the 15th Islamic Summit Conference to be held in The Gambia in 2022. He also expressed his hope that this ToT course will contribute to the efforts of the Gambia-OIC Secretariat towards developing skills and competencies of the Gambian women and youth for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship, and eventually strengthening the Gambian labour force.

From the Gambia-OIC Secretariat, H.E. Mr. Yankuba DIBBA, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), delivered his opening statement by first thanking SESRIC for its positive response and prompt action towards supporting the Gambia-OIC Secretariat within the framework of its projects for the “Socio-Economic Empowerment of Women and Youth in the Gambia”. He also expressed his hope that participating trainers and experts will benefit from this training at the utmost level and then transfer their accumulated knowledge and experience to small and medium-scale entrepreneurs.

The OIC-VET is an initiative of SESRIC officially launched at the COMCEC Economic Summit held in Istanbul, Turkey, on 09 November 2009. The Centre developed and designed this Programme to support and contribute to the efforts of the OIC member countries towards addressing the challenges and limitations faced in the area of TVET. The Programme aims to enhance the quality of TVET systems in the OIC member countries, which in turn contributes to the development and competitiveness of their economies. SESRIC, in its capacity as the Executing OIC Organ of the Programme, monitors the implementation of the “OIC-TVET Strategic Roadmap 2020-2025” and regularly submits the progress reports towards the implementation of the Roadmap to the COMCEC Sessions and the Follow-up Committee Meetings. For more details about the OIC-VET Programme and its activities, please visit https://www.oicvet.org.