‘Let’s place more emphasis on technical, vocational education’
The Government has been urged to place more emphasis on technical and vocational education training by providing such training institutions with the needed resources and equipment.
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The immediate past Principal of the Tema Technical Institute (TTI), Mr George Nii Torgbor Provincal who made the call, explained that adequately resourcing such institutions, would enable students to acquire the necessary skills and practical competence, before entering the polytechnics, and also help curb unemployment in the country.
Mr Provencal was speaking at a send-off ceremony held in his honour at Tema, after a 13-year service to the school. He assumed office as Principal of the TTI in January 2002 and retired in August 2015, and is said to be the first principal to retire from office over the 50-year existence of the institute.
Curbing unemployment
He asserted that, it was not enough to build more technical schools without equipment, as that would mean reducing the institutions to secondary/ technical schools instead of fully fledged technical institutions.
Mr Provencal stressed that the technical institutions must be given the needed support and funding to enable them to train and prepare students adequately for the job market.
He cited examples of the situations that persisted in other parts of the world such as Japan, Austria, and Britain, where emphasis was placed on skill training to enhance students’ abilities and said, such examples must be emulated.
The outgoing principal advised teachers to see the need to give students of technical and vocational students, special attention, orientation and guidance to stay focused on their studies.
Appreciation
In recognition of his 13 years of leadership, the staff and students of the institute and other organisations presented Mr Provencal with a citation and other items for transforming the institute during his tenure.
There were solidarity messages from the Technical, Vocational Education and Training Division of the Ghana Education Service, the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Tema, Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, the Greater Accra Regional Director and the Tema Metropolitan directors of the GES.
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