MOHERST Strategic Plan 2021-2025

MoHERST Strategic Plan 2021–2025

Issued by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MoHERST) in December 2020, this Strategic Plan sets out The Gambia's five-year (2021–2025) transformation agenda for the tertiary and higher education, research, science and technology sector. It updates the Education Sector Strategic Plan (2017–2030) and aligns with the National Development Plan (2018–2021) and Education Sector Policy (2016–2030).

Vision and mandate: The plan is anchored on positioning The Gambia as a knowledge-based economy, with missions to build a system of reputable tertiary/higher education institutions and to establish a coordinated national research and technology development system. MoHERST, established in 2007, oversees post-secondary education (including TVET), national research, and science/technology/innovation.

Context and challenges: The document profiles The Gambia's education system structure, noting that higher education institutions represent only 5.5% of post-secondary provision, with heavy urban concentration (86.2% in regions one and two), persistent poverty (~48.6%), youth unemployment (~38–40%), and a COVID-19-driven GDP growth slowdown. It identifies systemic weaknesses: limited qualified staff, inadequate infrastructure, underfunding, weak research culture, absence of a national research policy, and poor education-industry linkages — alongside opportunities such as the ACE Impact Project, KOICA TVET partnerships, and strong political commitment.

Four programme areas (Institutional Transformation):

1. Equitable Access — infrastructure expansion (USET campus, GTTI/TVET regional centres, UTG Faraba Banta Campus, Gambia College's schools merging into UTG faculties, MDI upgrading) and scholarship/loan schemes.
2. Quality and Relevance — academic/administrative staff training (PhD, Master's, short-term), curriculum and policy development, instructional materials, laboratory equipment, e-learning and digital library infrastructure, mentorship partnerships with KNUST and De Montfort University.
3. Research and Technology Development — governance and regulatory frameworks, a National Research and Innovation Fund, a research/technology park, and a HERST digital transformation programme.
4. Sector Management — a Management Information System (MIS) linked to the Labour Market Information System, partnership and resource mobilization strategy, and project coordination/M&E systems.