By: Fatou Krubally
The National Association of Vocational and Skills Training Institutes (NAVSTI) on Saturday held its long-awaited Annual General Meeting (AGM), which marked the election of a new executive with Fatou Saine Gaye emerging as the new Chairperson.
The meeting, held at GTMI Hall in Bakau, brought together training providers, partners, and other stakeholders from across the vocational training ecosystem.
Outgoing Chairperson Abdoulie Sowe opened the session with a sober but proud reflection on the association’s journey. He acknowledged that the AGM was “well overdue” but stressed its importance as a space for accountability, renewal, and collective planning. Sowe outlined key achievements under his leadership, including securing NAVSTI’s legal status, opening its first bank account, developing communication platforms, and forging partnerships with the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority (NACQA).
Through those partnerships, NAVSTI rolled out nationwide consultations on Recognition of Prior Learning, hosted a major stakeholder workshop, delivered digital marketing and administrative trainings, and furnished its first office—now paid for annually by NACQA. He noted that NAVSTI also successfully intervened during the passage of the NACQA Act, leading to a drastic reduction in deposit fees for locally owned institutions.
However, Sowe pointed to recurring challenges, particularly low membership participation and inconsistent payment of dues. “An association is only as strong as its members,” he warned, urging stronger engagement going forward.
Treasurer Muhammed Fofana presented the financial report from 2022 to 2025, revealing that NAVSTI currently holds about D420,000 in its Ecobank account. The data showed that only a small fraction of members paid their fees consistently over the past three years, forcing NAVSTI to rely heavily on ITC support. He further disclosed that the association’s landlord owes D50,000 in rent refunds from the past two years.
Members raised concerns about the low compliance rate and encouraged the incoming executive to strengthen revenue collection measures and improve follow-up.
The turning point of the day came with the election of a new executive, with Fatou Saine Gaye emerging as the new Chairperson. Her election was greeted with enthusiasm, with several members expressing confidence that she would bring renewed commitment, structure, and energy to the association.
In her brief address, Gaye thanked members for their trust and said she looked forward to building on the foundations laid by the outgoing team. She emphasized that NAVSTI’s future success would depend on unity, accountability, and “a shared willingness to move the sector forward.”
As NAVSTI enters this new chapter, members say they expect a more vibrant and responsive leadership, one capable of sustaining the gains achieved and tackling long-standing challenges that continue to hinder the growth of vocational and skills training in the country.
The post NAVSTI Elects New Executive appeared first on .
By: Fatou Krubally The National Association of Vocational and Skills Training Institutes (NAVSTI) on Saturday held its long-awaited Annual…
The post NAVSTI Elects New Executive appeared first on .
