The Education Ministry has announced that the Free Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative introduced by the Government will start this academic year.

According to the Free Senior High School (FSHS) Coordinator, the Ministry, Mr William Darkwah, all qualified candidates who chose to pursue TVET at any government-approved Senior High School (SHS), Senior High Technical (SHTS) or any TVET institution would enjoy all the benefits of the Free Senior High School (FSHS) initiative.

He encouraged all parents to ensure that their children/wards who were interested in the TVET programme selected TVET if they are to do self-placement.

Again, he reminded parents to ensure that their children who chose TVET were encouraged to pursue it and receive all the benefits associated with the TVET sector.

Mr Darkwah said, currently, one hundred and eighty-six (186), TVET Institutions fairly and strategically located across the country were ready to run the Free TVET system up to Certificate II level.

He explained that all TVET providing institutions which used to be under 19 Ministries had now been realigned to the Ghana TVET Service under the Ministry of Education and had been included in this academic year’s (April 2022) Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) for the Junior High School graduates.

Records

A total of 571,892 candidates wrote the 2021/2022 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), after which 555,353 candidates qualified to pursue further education at the second cycle level. Out of the number who qualified, 367,811 were automatically placed in their school of choice leaving only 187,542 to do self-placement.

The 187,542 are expected to follow the laid down process to do the self-placement within the shortest possible time before the system is shut down or closed.

“The huge investment made by the Government since 2018 attests to the importance the government attaches to the TVET sector”. The FSHS Coordinator said.

Revamping the sector

On 5th July 2018, The Government of Ghana signed a contract with P C Education Africa Ventures Ghana limited – for “Upgrading and Modernization of the Vocational Education System in Ghana.”

This was followed by the official sod cutting for commencement of the project at the grounds of the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in East Legon on the 19th December 2019 by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

As part of the infrastructural project, the Head Office of NVTI, 10 Regional Testing Offices, 35 institutions including OICG Accra centre, five informal apprenticeship offices and 35 Institutions across the country have been upgraded and retooled. Components of the infrastructural upgrade of the institutions include Classroom blocks, ICT Centres, Administration blocks, Workshops, male and female dormitories, Installation of workshop equipment, and curriculum development for trainers and tutors for NVTI institutions in CBT.

Trade Areas

Mr Darkwah mentioned some of the areas of study (Trade Areas in TVET institutes) in the TVET sector in the country as

Agricultural Mechanization Technology, Building Construction Technology, Auto body Repairs, Architectural Draughting, Wood Construction Technology, Hospitality and Catering Management, Cosmetology, Electrical Engineering Technology, Electrical Machine Rewinding, General Textiles, Heavy Duty and Diesel Mechanics, Industrial Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering Craft Practice, Motor Vehicle Engineering,

The rest of the courses are Creative Art Technology, Plumbing and Gas Fitting Technology, Printing, Electronic Engineering, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Mechanics, Small Engines Repairs, Welding and Fabrication Technology, Information Technology, Computer Hardware Technology. Technical Drawing,

Background

The Government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo upon assumption of office in 2017 decided to align all TVET institutions in the country.

The purpose of this alignment was to among others provide appropriate governance and management structure for a unified national TVET system and coordinate the curriculum, training of trainers/facilitators, linkage with industry, entry requirement, training facilities, mode of delivery, assessment, certification system and employability of graduates by synchronizing all existing laws relating to skills training in the country.

It has since they put in place the various legal and other needful measures to ensure that the TVET sector becomes the first port of call for all students and parents due to the prospects in the sector as well as the benefit the entire country stands to receive from the sector if subscribed well.