Fashion design students urge govt to invest more in TVET

The Fashion Design Students Association of the Faculty of Vocational, Fashion and Textile Education of the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) has called on the government to invest more in the Technical and Vocational Training Education (TVET).
The move, according to the association, would no doubt endow students with the entrepreneurial skills needed to start one’s own business.
“TVET is the way to go, as it can improve the unemployment situation in the country, my colleagues in the final year will be graduating with skills to set up own businesses and can even employ,” Mr Philip Opoku Adjei, President of the Association said.
He was speaking to the media at the annual fashion show and exhibition of the Fashion Department of the University at the weekend.
It was an opportunity for the final year students in the department to present their artistic creations to the general public for sale and their aesthetic appreciation. pandemic in order to create a stronger, more resilient and transformed economy.
The MCE stated that the government’s overall vision and medium-term priorities set out in the National Tourism Plan (NTP) had been prioritised under the programme to the sector over three years.
Mr Gyarko indicated that the fund was to ensure investment and development of infrastructure, marketing, improving supply-chain links, enhanced capacity of key tourism institutions and actors, and improved coordination with the private sector.
“The interventions are expected to increase tourism arrivals, jobs in the tourism industry and tourism’s contribution to Gross Domestic Growth (GDP) by two per cent by 2023,” he added. The MCE expressed appreciation to the Ministry, GTA and hoteliers association for their efforts to revitalise the industry in the Bono East.
The General Manager of Kintampo-based Grand Royal Diamond Hotel, Mr Japheth Elliott, on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked the organisers for rescuing the industry and promised to put the skills learnt to good use.
It was a street fashion show dubbed “Moda Afrocentrica: Styling Africa”, literally translated as African Fashion and the provision of styles for the people of Africa.
Mr Adjei called on TVET students to see themselves as blessed and not to think the concept was meant for school drop outs or the unintelligent.
“Some of my friends who were offered other business related programmes are calling on me to come and learn sewing, I am sorry to say this, but that should tell us that TVET is the way for the future, can turn round the economy,” he added
He called on policy makers to consider a two / three day wear of local clothes to boost the textile industry which would go a long way to create employment for fashion designers, tailors and seamstresses in the country to reduce employment.
Dr Daniel Kwabena Danso, Head of the Department, also urged the government to increase taxes on the importation of second hand clothes to discourage importers thereby boosting the textile industry.
He said the mandate of the University would be fulfilled when students were able to set up their own businesses with the entrepreneurial skills they had acquired.
Dr Danso called on Ghanaians to patronise made in Ghana products to increase the demand for local clothes, “ours should be our priorities, we should place more value on our local products.”

FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI