Teachers to look at Technical, Vocational education

Teacher Unions have been asked to canvas for substantial support to technical and vocational education in Ghana and tackle negative perceptions associated with those disciplines.

Mr Thomas M. Malm, President of the Volta Region branch of Blind Teachers Association, made the call at its regional conference in Ho.

The conference was under the theme, “Challenges confronting Technical and Vocational Education in Ghana-The way forward.”

Mr Malm asked industry to help in developing appropriate curricula for technical vocational training while Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies must offer scholarships to students pursuing courses in those just as it is done for students in other disciplines.

He said artisans also needed financial support to produce basic tools and equipment suitable for productive activities locally.

Mr Malm said developed countries and newly emerging robust economies such as India were built on the strong foundations of purposeful technical and vocational training and financing.

Dorothy Ketu, Senior Social Development Officer, Department of Social Welfare (DSW), urged government to make substantial investments in the acquisition of training equipment, materials and infrastructure for technical and vocational training, “as the labour market becomes specialized and demands higher levels of skills.”

She suggested that non-governmental organizations and corporate bodies interested in sponsorship programmes should redirect their funds to technical and vocational skills training to include people with physical disabilities.

Technical and vocational training should be subsidized, Ms Ketu said.

She advised students with physical disabilities to seek educational guidance to know their capabilities and programmes they could easily pursue with higher prospects for employment.