Vocational school graduates to do HND
Graduates and students of vocational training institutions will now be given the opportunity to pursue Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes in the 10 polytechnics in the country.
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A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) and the National Board for Professionals and Technicians Examination (NABPTEX) was signed to enable the NVTI graduates and students to pursue polytechnic programmes.
Under this initiative, NVTI students who are about to complete their certificate two programmes would have the option of studying English, Mathematics and Integrated Science to prepare for the HND programmes at the polytechnics.
Also, NVTI graduates would have the opportunity to do a one-year access course in English, Mathematics and Integrated Science to be administered by the NABPTEX. Once they pass the examination they would enter the polytechnics to pursue HND programmes.
The initiative will commence in June 2014 in public vocational training institutions that have the requisite facilities.
However private vocational training institutions would have to get accreditation before they could administer the NVTI-NABPTEX programme for the HND programmes.
There are currently 361 private vocational institutions in Ghana and 160 public institutions.
The NVTI runs 29 courses but conducts tests in 79 proficiency and certificate programmes.
The MOU will enable NABPTEX to recognise NVTI certificates instead of looking at its equivalents so that graduates with NVTI qualifications can also access polytechnic education.
The Director of the NVTI, Mr Bismark Amponsah, noted that the initiative was welcome news for the nation since it would boost the image of vocational school graduates.
“Hitherto, this was not available and people with certificate two had to go down the ladder to do the intermediate programmes and climb back to the top,” he said.
Mr Amponsah said the NVTI graduates should welcome the opportunity created by the MOU with joy, since the NVTI-NABPTEX initiative would eliminate all doubts about NVTI graduates and make them equal with their mates.
The NVTI has proficiency training such as hairdressing mainly for non-literate and certificate training for the literate.
Mr Amponsah said vocational training was very important for the development of the country, and called for adequate support from Ghanaians .
“Ghana cannot live without vocational training. Look at the shirt you are wearing, it was sewn by a tailor without whom you cannot dress and come here,” he said.
He called for respect for vocational training and dismissed the assertion that it was for the academically-challenged.
By Emmanuel Bonney/Daily Graphic/Ghana