TVET is game-changer in job creation – Dr Opoku Prempeh

The Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku-Prempeh, has called for a change of mindset on Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) in the country.

 According to him, TVET remained the game-changer for the country in terms of job creation and must not be seen as a preserve for the academically weak in society.

“For a person to develop and create a fashionable and acceptable outfit to be appreciated by consumers requires high level of ingenuity for which reason we cannot continue to describe  student of TVET as academically weak,” he said.

Dr Matthew-Opoku made the call on Tuesday when the President of World Skills International, Simon Bartley paid a courtesy call on him.

Mr Bartley was in the country to assess the country’s preparation towards its admission into the organisation and to interact with Ghana’s delegates to the WSI slated for August in Russia.

World Skills International a is global body made of about 80 countries, with the mission to improve the world with the power of technical and vocational skills.

Ghana would be admitted into the WSI this month, following the attainment of all the necessary requirements of the organisation, and would be formally inaugurated at the world WSI congress.

Dr Opoku-Prempeh said the government was working to change the mindset of Ghanaians about TVET.

This, he said, was through revamping TVET institutions across the country, coordinating their activities and also certifying their programmes and issuing them with accreditation.

Dr Opoku-Prempeh said the Council for Technical and Vocational Education (COTVET) is to oversee and coordinate issues on TVET.

He said Ghana decided to join the WSI so as to benefit from the expertise of the organisation and its member countries.

“I hope Ghana will receive good news from WSI when the board of the organisation meet this year,” Dr Opoku-Prempeh said.

Mr Bartley in his remarks said Ghana had satisfied all the requirements for the country to be admitted into the organisation and the final step was for the President of WSI to visit the country.

The requirements, he said include the setting up of a national body, the Council for Technical and Vocational Education (COTVET) to oversee and coordinate issues on technical education, the acceptance of the constitutions of the WSI, commitment of the country to promote technical and vocational education.

He said TVET held the prospect for job creation and employment for the youth and lauded the government for its efforts to revamp and improve TVET in the country.

Mr Bartley pledged the WSI’s commitment to support Ghana to develop TVET in the country.

By Kingsley Asare