‘Skill Up Ghana Project’ launched in Accra

An initiative dubbed ‘Skill Up Ghana Project’ aimed at improving the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) from supply to demand-driven has been launched in Accra.

The project would build on existing structures and strengthening institutional resources to promote a better understanding of the skills demanded in the economic sector.

It is part of a programme funded by the government of Norway, under the phase II (2018-2019) of the Programme Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between the government of Norway and the International Labour Organisations (ILO).

Mr Gunnar Andreas Holm, Ambassador of Norway said there was the need to focus and develop skills of the youth for national development.

He said his outfit was ready to support initiatives and interventions that would focus on strategic skills reforms to boost labour market.

In a speech read on behalf of the Education Minister, Mr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, he indicated that most developed world had attained a stable to stagnant population growth as well as improved skills of their labour force.

Mr Prempeh said structures had been put in place to develop the informal sector to enable more women venture into male dominated fields.

The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah said TVET was crucial in promoting entrepreneurship and the development of the country.

According to him, this would help ease pressure on seeking employment in the formal sector.

“As a country we have to change our mindset about TVET, we have to accept it as a way to go, time is now opportune for us to turn things around for the better and for us to reverse the unpalatable situation we have allowed to fester in the present state of unemployment,” he said.

Mr Baffour-Awuah commended the Norwegian government and ILO for championing the project.

Mr Dennis Zulu, the ILO Country Director said the overall strategy of the project was based on promoting social dialogue which would help to reform TVET systems in shaping national skills development strategies.

He said ILO used its globally tested tools and methods of skills anticipation such as Skills for Trade and Economic Diversification (STED) to help constituents identify key economic sector.

Mr Zulu said there were a lot of job opportunities but the right skills and knowledge were not available and, therefore, called for the appropriate skills to be inculcated into the youth.

By Agnes Opoku Sarpong