20 Technical/Vocational Centre To be Built With Dutch Assistance

Accra, (Greater Accra) 3 Oct.,

A memorandum of understanding for the establishment of 20 Technical/Vocational Resource Centres in Ghana was signed by the Ministry of Education and TNW Export B.V of the Netherlands in Accra today. Dr. Christina Amoako-Nuama, Minister of Education, who signed for her Ministry,said the TNW Export, a worldwide supplier of industrial machines and equipment for vocational and technical institutions, will equip selected public technical/vocational institutions throughout the country with modern machines. The project is being financed partially by the Dutch government and the government of Ghana with a credit facility from ABN AMRO Bank NV of the Netherlands. Dr. Amoako-Nuama said the project, starting next year for 24 months, is in three phases of supply, installation of equipment and training of instructors. The signing ceremony coincided with a courtesy call on the education minister by the Netherlands delegation led by Mrs. Aneeke Van Dok-Van Weele, Foreign Minister of trade. Dr. Amoako-Nuama said the centres will provide practical, focused and competency-based training for both public and private institutions. It is envisaged that the centres will also promote the reinforcement and sustainability of the aims and objectives expected to be achieved by the Vocational Skills and Informal Sector Support Project, currently being implemented by the Ministry. The education minister thanked the Netherlands' government for the technical and financial support it is giving Ghana ''in this important area of technical and vocational training''. Mrs. Dok-Van Weele said her country's assistance in the field of education is to help develop manpower since they are a consuming society and depend on countries like Ghana for agricultural produce. She said Ghana is one of eight countries in Africa with a growing economy that her government has earmarked for assistance. Mrs. Dok-Van Weele said co-operation between her country and Ghana is based on mutual interest, adding the assistance is not in the form of aid but incentives and in areas of priority to Ghana.