The Director General of the Commission for Technical, Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), Dr Fred Kyei Asamoah, has urged parents to encourage their children and wards to consider choosing TVET schools as the Computerized School Selection Process (CSSP) begin this Monday.
He explained that choosing the TVET schools would help such students enjoy the various benefits in the TVET sector which hold the key to the transformation of the nation’s economy.
The DG explained that the Ministry of Education has projected about 80,000 vacancies in TVET institutions in the country for the 2023/2024 academic year and urged students to take advantage of the vacancies as against over 64,000 vacancies declared in 2022/2023
Dr Kyei Asamoah, made the call on Friday when he briefed the media in Accra about the upcoming nationwide CSSP.
The exercise aims to ensure that all candidates select their preferred Senior High and/or Technical and Vocational Institution they would like to attend if they pass the just-ended Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) next academic year.
The DG mentioned some of the measures put in place by the Government to increase intake such as the implementation of free TVET, the upgrade of and retooling of all erstwhile NVTI’s institutions, the building of new institutions including the Head Office of Ghana TVET Service together with 10 Regional Offices.
He also mentioned the establishment of five apprenticeship offices across the country, the Opportunity Industrialization Center in Accra comprising of the Construction, Rehabilitation and Equipping of Laboratories, Workshops, additional Classrooms, Hostels, and Administrative Offices supported with some 123 million euros which were completed in July 2022.
Dr Asamoah said to help in the promotion of TVET in the country, the Government in collaboration with industry has developed a competency-based curriculum in sectors like agriculture, healthcare, wellness and beauty, manufacturing, ICT, textile and apparel, construction and transport as well as logistics on the National TVET qualification framework which can go up to the Doctorate level.
He indicated that the CTVET will soon undertake Skills Competitions which aim at raising the profile and recognition of skilled people, adding that Ghana has organized two national skills competitions so far since 2018 and taken part in two World Skills Africa Competitions.
“Ghana recently won two Gold Medals and two Silver Medals at the World Skills Africa Competition in Swakopmund Namibia). Dr Kyei said.
The DG again mentioned the establishment of TVET Clubs in Junior High Schools to generate interest in TVET courses, TVET Ambassadors and Role Model Campaigns, TVET Career Guidance and Counselling programmes in communities and schools as well as Radio and TVET adverts and other engagements.
State of the Art Centres
Dr Kyei Asamoah stated that Cabinet and Parliament in 2020 approved a concessional loan of €158,901,273.00 to finance the construction of Phase One of the Establishment of thirty-two (32) State the Art TVET Centres Project which is currently under construction.
He indicated that the Construction of five new District TVET centres of excellence is ongoing with that of Anyinam and Pakyi No. 2 completed while that of Assin Jakai in the Central Region, Akomadan and Manso Abore in the Ashanti Region is also under construction.
Dr Asamoah said that in addition to the mainstream free TVET, the government has also provided free apprenticeship training to over 18,000 Ghanaians since 2017 through the Ghana TVET Voucher project being implemented by CTVET with support from the German Government.
The DG mentioned the rehabilitation and upgrading of ten Technical Universities and thirteen Technical Institutes which includes the construction of new workshops/laboratories and the supply and installation of equipment fit for disciplines in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Welding technology, Automotive maintenance, Civil Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering have also been completed and inaugurated.
The mandate of the Commission
The Commission’s primary responsibility is to regulate, promote and administer technical and vocational education and training for transformation and innovation for sustainable development. The collaboration with industry and TVET institutions is improving through the establishment of sector skills bodies. This will increase the employment opportunities for TVET graduates.