Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
Over the years, the TVET sector has faced many challenges, but as a vital engine to our country’s industrialization agenda, the Ministry is committed to ensuring that citizens have the practical skills necessary for success.
With initiatives such as One District, One Factory, we’re helping to build an educated, skilled, confident society ready for the modern workplace.
Over the years, the TVET sector has suffered an image crisis over a public perception of being the refuge of students who are not academically endowed. Together with obsolete machinery, a fragmented TVET landscape, an outdated curriculum, a lack of standardization, duplication of roles amongst agencies and poor investment, this sector has lagged.
Government believes that TVET is key to the country’s industrialisation agenda as it provides the manpower for practical skills necessary for its industrial drive, as exemplified by it’s One District, One Factory initiative.
REALIGNING TVET INSTITUTIONS UNDER MOE
By ensuring effective regulation, coordination, standardization and quality of instruction in TVET, the Cabinet has agreed to realign all Technical and Vocational Institutions (TVI) under the Ministry of Education.
The Cabinet approved a five-year strategic plan for TVET transformation, including the introduction of:
- The TVET Service Bill for enactment and operationalization including the Amendment of Legislation for Council for TVET (COTVET)
- The National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI)
- The National Board for Professional and Technician Examinations (NABPTEX)
TVET Voucher Project
TVET PROGRAMS
The Ghana TVET Voucher Project (GTVP) is supported by Ghanaian – German financial cooperation and is co-financed by BMZ. The programme is implemented by COTVET, supported by the Ghana Skills Development Initiative, and is the first voucher programme in the TVET sector with €10 million in funding.
Regional Scope:
- Greater Accra
- Ashanti
- Volta
- Northern
- Eastern
- Central
- Savannah
- North East
- Oti
Trade Areas:
- Automotive
- Cosmetology
- Garment Making
- Electronics
- Welding
National Skills Competition
The Ministry of Education has been working to promote skills training and development for industrialisation and generate greater awareness of the importance of TVET. As part of this effort, in 2018, COTVET organised Zonal and National Skills Competitions in preparation for the World Skills Competition.
The Zonal and National Skills Competitions inspire world-class excellence in skills development and introduce young people to various skilled careers—opening a world of opportunities to the contestants through their exposure.
The zonal competition leads to the regional competition, with the winners having the opportunity to represent Ghana at the skills competition’s international level.
The success of the skills competition will be determined by a rise in interest among Ghanaians, especially the youth. Through the publicity generated for the competition, awareness of the depth of TVET and its potential to change the fortunes of Ghanaians will become obvious.
TVET INFRASTRUCTURE
The government is committed to establishing at least two state-of-the-art TVET centres in each region. These centres will serve as the headquarters of technical and vocational training—fully equipped with state-of-the-art machines and training tools for all levels.
The government is also upgrading existing centres to:
Provide young people with the skills that will make them employable, enhance their livelihoods, and create wealth—for example, through the One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative.
Ensure skills and TVET are the drivers of development across the country.
Enhance the Ghanaian workforce to make them globally competitive.
This project is designed to support the
government’s efforts to enhance the TVET subsector across Ghana. The project objectives are aligned with the priorities of the “Ghana Beyond Aid” agenda and Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) focused on education—which emphasises the importance of skills development.
At the sector level, the project objectives are aligned with the Education Sector Development Plan (ESDP) (2016-2020), emphasising the importance of equitable access and quality of TVET.
Infrastructure upgrades in the TVET sector are long overdue and with a renewed focus, the government is ensuring the TVET sector has the right skills and support to succeed.
Projects under AVIC, Planet Core and Amatrol
Amatrol has been engaged through COTVET to provide the Technical Universities and Polytechnics with world-class laboratories that meet Industry 4.0 standards. Amatrol Labs are equipped with worldwide industry-standard training systems that prioritise hands-on skill training. These learning systems integrate seamlessly into any manufacturing or production setting and cut across various technical fields. These learning systems are equally useful for technicians, engineers, production workers, and anyone needing further understanding and skills.
The following have been provided for the institutions:
Takoradi Technical University
TTU was installed with Petro – Chemical and Hydraulic Teaching Systems.
Kumasi Technical University
KTU was installed with Mechatronics teaching Systems, thus Mechanical and Electronics teaching Systems combined, coupled with the installation of computer laboratory that is internet ready for multimedia.
Koforidua Technical University
Koforidua Technical University has been supplied with Mechanical, Electrical / Electronics and Auto Engineering Teaching Systems
Cape Coast Technical University
Cape Coast Technical University has been supplied with Mechanical, Electrical / Electronics and Auto Engineering Teaching Systems
Tamale Technical University
Tamale Technical University was supplied with Mechanical, Electrical / Electronics and Auto Engineering Teaching Systems
Wa Polytechnic
The Polytechnic was supplied with Mechanical, Electrical / Electronics and Auto Engineering Teaching Systems
Accra Technical University
The University was supplied with Mechanical, Electrical / Electronics and Auto Engineering Teaching Systems
Ho Technical University
The University was supplied with Mechanical, Electrical / Electronics and Auto Engineering Teaching Systems
Sunyani Polytechnic
Sunyani Polytechnic will be supplied with Mechanical, Electrical / Electronics and Auto Engineering Teaching Systems
Bolga Polytechnic
Bolga Polytechnic will be supplied with Mechanical, Electrical / Electronics and Auto Engineering Teaching Systems
One Major benefit of these equipment’s is that, it uses real-world industrial quality components to help students become better prepared for what they will encounter on the job with industry-relevant skills that makes them ready for the job market. Each equipment has topics that incorporate the skill development needed for modern industry. This is what is required to boost Technical and Vocational Skills for the 21st Century to tackle challenges presented by the 4th industrial revolution.
ROLE OF AFDB IN TVET REVAMP
The Development of Skills for Industry Projects (DSIP) forms part of the government’s efforts to reform TVET. Delivered by COTVET with financial support from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Government of Ghana, the DSIP’s objective is to support the development of high-quality middle-level technical and vocational skills required for the growth and development of Ghana’s economy.
The projects will also expand equitable access to public institutions to all groups—including women—to ensure the relevance and quality of TVET delivery.
DSIP has four components:
- Expanding equitable access to TVET
- Building human and institutional capacity for TVET
- Improving the quality and relevance of TVET
- Project management