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Mrs Barbara Asher Ayisi (inset) addressing the participants
Mrs Barbara Asher Ayisi (inset) addressing the participants

COTVET courts youth into technical education

The Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) is courting the youth in the country to take interest in technical and vocational education and training (TVET).

It is, therefore, embarking on an advocacy and campaign programmes to reverse the negative attitude of society towards TVET and make it more attractive to the youth.

The Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, announced this in a speech read on his behalf by the Deputy Minister of Education in charge of TVET, Mrs Barbara Asher Ayisi, at a National TVET Dialogue in Accra yesterday.

Empowerment

On the theme, “Empowering the girl-child, the role of TVET,” the event was organised by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with Plan International Ghana.

“The campaign is hopeful to increase the number of students that would opt for TVET, especially girls in the next five years.

This, coupled with other measures, will help put TVET in its rightful place in the development path of our country,” Dr Prempeh said.

Speaking on the theme, he acknowledged that the participation of girls in TVET, particularly the male-dominated fields, was low.

“However, efforts have been made by government to gradually reverse the situation and improve upon TVET delivery generally.

“Vocational skills training and capacity building for both genders is a key priority for sustainable development of any nation,” Dr Prempeh noted.

Practical avenue

He stated that TVET was the most practical avenue for acquiring readily employable skills for the world of work, stating that Africa needed skilled and competent workforce such as artisans and technicians to fill the skills gaps of the various sectors of the economy, including the building and construction industry, power and energy, water distribution and sanitation systems; hospitality, agro processing and public works.

“But unfortunately, in most parts of Africa and our country, TVET has not been given the needed recognition until this past decade,” he noted, adding that it was heart-warming news that many governments in Africa had appreciated the role of TVET in national development and were rolling out strategies to develop talents of young people to support economic growth and industrialisation.

Strategic plan

He announced that a five-year COTVET strategic plan for TVET transformation that envisaged the rolling out of several strategies had been implemented.

“These include reviewing and converting the curricula into competency-based training mode, promoting TVET through Career Guidance and Counselling and My TVET Campaign, Skills Gap Analysis, Needs Assessment and Profiling, establishment of Sector Councils etc.

Other areas include streamlining policy and governance, TVET physical and human resources, Access and Participation, and Quality Assurance and Qualifications,” he added.

Key driver

The Dutch Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Ron Strikker, said the dialogue on TVET was an important part of the economic empowerment of the country, which was the ultimate objective of the Ghana beyond Aid Agenda.

“TVET has become a key driver of development across the globe will therefore call on Plan Ghana and The Ministry of Education and all other partners to continue to prioritise TVET in Ghana and work in collaboration to implement key recommendations that will emanate from this dialogue, which is a good start in itself and should continue, but not remain as a talk shop,” he advised.

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