Accra, Dec. 30, GNA
– President Akufo-Addo-led government is focused on re-engineering technical and
vocational education in Ghana, in order to be abreast with modern trends.
In furtherance of
that objective, President Akufo-Addo cut the sod for the upgrading and
modernisation of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
system recently, to position TVET at the centre of development policy.
Vice President Dr
Mahamudu Bawumia said this at the 39th edition of the Annual Technology and
Agricultural Exhibition of the Kristo Asafo Mission, in Accra, at the weekend.
He said government
was determined to make technical and vocational education a major component of
the educational curriculum and has adopted a multi-pronged approach towards
revolutionising TVET.
“The first component
of the President’s TVET project comprised upgrading of some 35 National and
Vocational Training Institutes as well as Colleges of Education that specialise
in technology; refurbishing the existing infrastructure and construction of new
Head office, 10 regional offices and five apprenticeship offices; and
procurement of equipment for 26 trades and ICT equipment for all 34 NVTI
centres.
“It also includes
competency based training to cover 700 trainers across 34 NVTIs; a major
revision of the curricula of TVET schools to make them relevant to the needs of
Ghana’s changing economy; and transport facilities, provision of a 33-seater
bus for each of the 34 NVTIs and 4×4 Pickups for the head office and regional
offices,” Vice President Bawumia announced.
To make technical
and vocational education more accessible, government in 2018 announced the
inclusion of TVET in the Free Senior High School (FSHS) programme, he added.
The second
component, he said, comprised the setting up of two new training centres for
foundry and machining workshops, with one at the Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR) centre in Accra, and the other at the Kwame Nkrumah
University of Science and Technology.
He said all those
interventions were key ingredients towards transforming the education system
and industrialising the national economy in the shortest possible time.
Vice President
Bawumia said there was also a US$130 million project for the construction of
training workshops for five polytechnics and technical universities together
with 10 technical institutes in areas of mechanical engineering, automobile
engineering, civil engineering and welding engineering.
Government had also
provided technical universities and polytechnics with state-of-the-art
laboratories and workshop equipment to enhance practical training and learning,
he stated.
Dr Bawumia lauded
the remarkable achievements of Apostle Kwadwo Safo, the Founder and Leader of
the Kristo Asafo Mission, especially in the areas of agriculture and
technological development.
“Government
alone cannot lead the way by bringing a new dimension to our educational
structure and industrial transformation.
“It behoves on
some individuals and corporations to contribute to the wellbeing of society by
identifying the problems and offering solutions.
“This, I believe, is
what Apostle Professor Engineer Kwadwo Safo and the Kristo Asafo have
identified by offering practical oriented teaching and learning, as well as
spearheading technology and scientific researches that will put Ghana and
Africa on the path to development.
“I have been
here over the years, and I am always highly impressed by what he has done so
far and Government will continue to support Kantanka,” Dr Bawumia said.
GNA
