The government is taking steps to promote the teaching of technical and vocational skills

Company News of Friday, June 14, 2019

Source: thebftonline.com

2019-06-14

Vice Minister of Education for Technical Education and Training (TVET), Gifty Twum Ampofo, revealed that the government has taken bold steps to give the necessary recognition to the technical and technical skills. in the country.

Among the initiatives, she noted, is the development of policies, strategies and legal frameworks to reform and strengthen TVET systems.

In addition, the government is investing heavily in the infrastructure of TVET institutions in various parts of the country; establish a TVET service center; provide free technical and vocational education and training; and the modernization of technology-oriented colleges, all aimed at providing young people with employable skills, convinced that this is the way to feed Ghana.

"TVET is the most practical way to acquire skills that can be easily used in the world of work. Africa – and elsewhere Ghana – needs a skilled and competent workforce, such as craftsmen and technicians, to fill the gaps in the skills of different sectors of the economy, including building and construction industry, electricity and energy, water distribution and sanitation systems, the Hotels, agri-food and public works.

"At the present time, the resounding news is that many governments in Africa and Ghana have understood the role of TVET in national development and are therefore implementing strategies for developing talent." young people to support economic growth and industrialization. Many countries then developed policies, strategies and legal frameworks to reform and strengthen their TVET systems, "she said.

Ms. Twum Ampofo made this observation in Accra on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, when she launched the "My TVET Campaign", a project aimed at drastically reducing the public's negative perception of TVET. also seeking to improve the image of technology and professional training. skills.

The "My TVET Campaign" aims to: sensitize young people to TVET opportunities in Ghana, in particular; change the negative perception of society about TVET; improve the employability of TVET graduates; improve the management and instructor capacities of TVET institutions; and highlight the prospects for TVET as a precursor to economic development.

The "My TVET Campaign" includes career guidance, competitions competitions, road shows, television / radio programs, TVET ambbadadors and models, as well as TVET clubs.

Ms. Twum Ampofo, who performed the task on behalf of Sector Minister Matthew Opoku Prempeh, said the government firmly believed that vocational training and capacity building – both men and women – was a priority. essential to the sustainable development of all countries. nation; whereas the lack of appropriate technical and entrepreneurial skills and knowledge in the private and public sectors leads to underdevelopment of a nation.

To further strengthen TVET in the country, she said, a pilot career guidance and counseling project for the campaign was also launched by the Council on Vocational Education and Training. (COTVET), in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service, to equip junior high schools with appropriate information to enable them to decide on their career aspirations. The project, she added, is being tested in a hundred schools from all parts of Ghana.

Fred Kyei Asamoah, Executive Director of COTVET, said about the "TVET Campaign" that technical education and training in Ghana is taking a new turn and has therefore urged young people to take advantage of opportunities that flow from it.

"In this period of accelerated technological development and transformation of global industries, the potential of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to address many of the challenges facing our society has never been greater. TVET is essential for livelihood skills development, as recognized by Sustainable Development Goal 4, which aims to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and opportunities for lifelong learning. life for all, "and to" significantly increase the number of young people and adults with relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and the entrepreneurial spirit of here 2030, "he noted.

He expressed the hope that with the resources committed in the campaign, "we can transform the country through TVET".

According to Mr. Asamoah, as part of the measures taken to address the need for a functional TVET supply system, the government has approved a five-year strategic plan aimed at transforming education and training. technical professionals, badysis and verification of skill gaps constituting one of the measures. in the TVET transformation agenda.

He said that the reason many technicians face unemployment is partly due to the lack of effective collaboration and policy direction between government, industry and institutions. education.

"This usually happens when technical schools prescribe a program without considering industry requirements. This is not a specific problem for TVET but concerns all sectors. We are done with the practices of the past and we want to chart a new course. Industries need to know the latest technical developments and trends and have efficient and well-qualified hands.

"The close collaboration we have with industry is an important factor in achieving a quality TVET system. We have reached a stage in our development program where the industry must be encouraged to lead the training process of its next producers. We can only do this by mobilizing our sector players so that they can make a significant contribution to the development of our TVET sectors in Ghana, "he said.