By Eunice Hilda Ampomah/Elizabeth Yaa Brobbey, GNA
Accra, Feb. 20, GNA – The Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) has honoured partners and sponsors of the Ghana Skills competition and introduced the upcoming World Skills Competition.
The Partners honoured were the Country Director of GIZ and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Youth Authority.
The CEOs of Amatrol, AKTECC Supplies and Logistics Limited and De Lorenzo were honoured under the Gold Sponsors category.
The Ministry and COTVET also showed appreciation with plaques to the CEOs of Ghana Airports, Planet Core Education, Konrad Adenauer-Stiffung Foundation, Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited, FC Beauty Clinic, Saloon Services Hair and Beauty Academy under the Silver Sponsors category.
Others honourees were the Vice Chancellors of the Regional Maritime University, Kumasi Technical University and the Accra Technical University as well as the Principals of the Accra Technical Training Centre and the Kumasi Technical Institute.
The CEOs of the Ghana Chamber of Mines and the 3Nity Excel Multimedia were also honoured.
Mr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Education in a speech read on his behalf said the Sector, in collaboration with COTVET organised two zonal skills competitions in Accra and Kumasi last year.
The objective of the competition was to inspire greater excellence, creativity and innovation in skills development among the youth and generate greater awareness on the value of skills development for national and global market competitiveness.
He said: “Our industries cannot grow and become competitive without the right calibre of skilled manpower. Hence, it was crucial for us to institutionalise the Ghana Skills competition as one key strategy to promote and grow skills to support industrialising our economy…”
The Skills Competition journey, he said, had not been easy as the Ministry was confronted with issues of funding, consumables and logistics.
Mr Opoku Prempeh said, the President of the World Skills International would pay a visit to Ghana in April, prior to the international competition slated for August this year.
“I am delighted to inform you that in April this year, the President of Worldskills International, will be visiting Ghana in Karzan, Russia in August”.
Mr Francis Awua Kyerwmaten Junior, the Board Chair of COTVET, called on donors, partners and other stakeholders to help the sector achieve its aim of empowering the youth through skills training.
He said technical and vocational skills would be the main driver of industrial growth, adding that, “I appeal to our GIZ partners to train the participants in how to repair cars, as such skills are needed to develop the economy”.
He noted that COVET would be pleased if participants were equipped adequately to handle most problems associated with technical and vocational skills.
Mr Emmanuel Sin-nyet Asigri, the CEO of the National Youth Authority (NYA), said plans were underway to enroll 10,000 youth in skills training after which, they would be established.
He said the training modules had been categorised into eight and would reward certificates to the beneficiaries.
He noted that one challenge NYA and its stakeholders faced, was the need to enhance the informal sector especially by mobilising school leavers on the streets and illiterates onto the programme.
Mr Tobias Muhler, the Head of Unit of Technical and Vocational Education and Training, GIZ, said the GIZ was partnering the Ghana Government on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Operation Development, the European Union and the Swiss Government.
“We are implementing the programme for sustainable economic development and corporation with COTVET. Under this framework, we are supporting the organisation and the implementation of the skills competition to improve the image of TVET across the country,” he said.
Mr Muhler explained that GIZ and COTVET had prepared an operational planning for the programme, adding that, among the areas GIZ would be supporting are the curriculum development and capacity development of stakeholders for the skills programme.
GNA
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