By Grace Princess Tarwo/Christabella Arko, GNA
Accra, Nov 21, GNA - Mr Francis Agbley, Lecturer, Ghana Institute of Languages, on Wednesday said a major constraint of Ghana’s labour Market is the inadequacy of vocational and technical skills development within the educational structure.
Speaking at the 4th Speech and Prize Giving day celebrations of Forces Senior High and Technical School in Accra, he said although the purpose of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) was to equip people with the technical and professional skills, its intention to train people for self-employment was a mirage.
The programme was on the theme “Linking Secondary, Technical and Vocational Education to Industry, a Panacea to unemployment problems in Ghana”.
He said in as much as government recognised strengthening of TVET as a means of technical skills and human resource development for achieving industrial progress, citizens were not committed.
“All of us will like to be bankers or sit in offices with air conditioners and computers connected to the internet”, he said.
Mr Agbley added that the educational structure in the country at all levels was challenged with quality and access problems coupled with disparities at intra-regional levels.
The lecturer mentioned other challenges as; low quality of teaching and learning, poor quality of technical and science education, poor management and lack of supervision.
On the way forward, Mr Agbley said there was the need for policy framework and direction as well as radical shift in the design and delivery of TVET curriculum at all levels, adding that competency-based training should be included in the TVET curriculum to promote skill acquisition and industrial development.
He said the objective could also be achieved by equipping technical universities and technical institutions to enable students get hand-on experience of what was expected of them before leaving the school adding that, engineering laboratories could be built in schools to enable future engineers to be trained practically.
Mr Alhassan Tampuri, Chief Executive Officer, National Petroleum Authority, called on stakeholders to play pivotal roles to enable the school to achieve its aim and appealed to the teachers to subject themselves to collective efforts to provide adequate training for the students.
He congratulated the school on its victories and pledged a vehicle to the school adding that, the requests from the school was noted and assured to channel them properly.
He encouraged year groups to embark on projects in the school to complement government’s efforts in developing the school.
Lieutenant Colonel Osman Sham- Un Zuneidu, Headmaster of Forces Senior High and Technical School (FSHTS) in his remarks thanked the government for the construction of the new six classroom block and stakeholders who contributed to the success of the school and appealed for more support to assist their efforts with regards to facilitation of technical and vocational education in the school.
Explaining the theme, the headmaster said as a school linking second cycle course contents to modern industrial realities would not only empower graduates with the requisite skills, but would also enable them create jobs for themselves, which would help government in the country’s industrialisation drive.
He congratulated the awardees and advised other students to take their studies seriously to enable them achieve greater heights.
Ms Pearl Yayra Quarshie, Head Prefect FSHTS thanked the governing board of the school and appealed to the public and stakeholders to support the school in terms of infrastructural development such as; modern library, expansion of its Information Communication Technology laboratory, classroom and boarding house furniture and equipment at their science Laboratories.
Some hard working students, teaching and non-teaching staff were awarded for their efforts in their field of academics and work.
Some of the students awarded were Afua Appiah Ofori and Stephen Tweneboah, Best WASSCE 2019 students, Ebenezer Danso Agyekum, Best Student in Physics, Core mathematics, Elective Mathematics and Chemistry, Juliet Phyllis Dogah, Best Student in Social Studies and Economics, Maxwell Offei Debrah, Best Student in Christian Religious Studies and Government all in form three.
Others were Nathan Asamoah Appiah Kubi, Best Student in Christian Religious Studies, Ingnicia Bediako, Best Student in Elective Mathematics and Core mathematics, Deborah Ohenewaa Boafo, Best Student in History and Economics and Godbless Akporwavo, Best Student in Biology and Chemistry all in form two.
GNA
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