Government to develop policy to harmonise technical training

Accra, Nov. 11, GNA - Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, Minister of Education on Wednesday said the Ministry would develop a policy on Recognition of Prior Learning and National Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) qualifications to harmonise the delivery of quality TVET in the country. He said a technical committee set up by the Council on Technical Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) to harmonise Computer Based Training had ended its work and submitted the report paving way for the formulation of the policy.

However, Mr Tettey-Enyo said a stakeholders' conference would be convened next year to collate inputs into the finalization of the policy. He said this in a speech read by Mr Daniel Baffour Awuah, Executive Director of COTVET, when he presented government's policies towards addressing challenges facing TVET.

This was at a Vocational Training for Females (VTF) forum in Accra on achieving better impact of vocational skills development in West Africa. The forum, sponsored by the Church Development Services (EED) of Germany and attended by TVET representatives from Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone was to share findings on a comparative study conducted to assess the impact, relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of different approaches of delivering TVET in these countries. Mr Tettey-Enyo said the policy was to align training to work by involving industry in the development of a curriculum, because industry was the beneficiary of its products and knew the relevant subjects for their training.

He said TVET was a viable sector that ensured immediate returns but added that setbacks such as inadequate budgetary support, lack of coordination and learning materials threatened its effectiveness. "To this end, government is working with its donor partners and the World Bank to secure more funding for the sector to enhance its activities," Mr Tettey-Enyo said.

He endorsed the VTF's initiative to establish a Presbyterian Centre for Vocational Instructors in 2010 to upgrade and train teachers for technical and vocational schools.

Mr Tettey-Enyo said government had promised to fund the first year of apprenticeship training for all young people in the informal sector to make TVET affordable and accessible. He called for collaboration of all stakeholders to make TVET achieve its desired impact.

Mrs Leticia Osafo-Addo, Vice Chairperson of the Board of Governors of VTF, said TVET was the bedrock of the country's economic development adding, "It is relevant today as it was yesterday and it would be in the future". Mrs Osafo-Addo said; "This is why we organised the forum to chart a new course to sustain the sector. She commended the management of EED for funding VTF programmes in the country. 11 Nov. 09