The Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MoHERST) convened a two-day high-level retreat on the 9th and 10th September 2025 to review the application and evaluation process for the Skills, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SIE) Fund. The SIE Fund is implemented under the World Bank-funded Resilience, Inclusion, Skills, and Equity (RISE) Project to bridge skills gaps and empower Gambian youth through education, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The Fund provides institutional support, training grants, and start-up grants.
The retreat brought together members of the Project Steering Committee (PSC), the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), and Secretariat members of the SIE Fund. Its objectives are to provide understanding of application and evaluation guidelines and update members on the operational timelines, accountability and transparency of the fund.
Declaring the retreat officially open, the Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Honourable Professor Pierre Gomez, emphasised three guiding principles for the Fund: Justice, Fairness, and Transparency. “The rules must be applied strictly,” the Minister said. “We do not want to give any institution money when they are not supposed to receive it, and we do not want to deny any institution that deserves support.”
The Minister also outlined the objectives of the three funding windows:
• Window 1: Provides institutional support for TVET centres to improve teaching, learning, and innovation.
• Window 2: Covers training grants, scholarships, and stipends to increase access for students.
• Window 3: Expected to be launched later, will provide start-up support to young entrepreneurs.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary (Technical), Mr. Mucktarr M.Y Darboe, welcomed participants on behalf of the Ministry, stressing the need to “harmonise understanding of the scoring criteria and finalise a clear roadmap from submission to approval.” He urged participants to use the platform to clarify roles and build consensus.
Mr. Samba Sowe, Director of Science, Technology and Innovation at MoHERST and Head of the SIE Fund Secretariat, underscored the importance of collaboration. He noted that the retreat was not “just a meeting but an essential investment” to ensure fair, credible, and efficient processes.
The retreat continued with presentations and discussions. It provided commitment among stakeholders towards enforcing eligibility rules in delivering a process that inspires confidence among applicants, development partners, and the Gambian public.
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