Parents and teachers who have always held the view that Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) is the preserve for academic daft students have been advised to reconsider their positions.
Many parents have argued that TVET is an option for students who are unable to achieve the grades to enter into a second-cycle school or tertiary, thus, little or no attention is paid to students who opt for technical or vocational programmes.
However, TVET can unlock the unemployment challenges of the country as technical and vocational students are critical thinkers whose acquisition of practical skills, attitudes, understanding and knowledge relating to occupations can help develop the various sectors of economic and social life of Ghana.
And so at its maiden graduation ceremony for 15 female students over the weekend at Lebanon, Ashaiman, Rawlene Pokua Kporvie, proprietress of POKS Vocational Training Institute, said, “Technical and vocational students are instruments for promoting environmentally sound sustainable development and people whose activities facilitate poverty alleviation.
“Therefore, Ghana, with massive problems of youth unemployment, can only achieve its dreams of bettering the life of majority of its citizens if parents and governments pay critical attention to TVET.”
The theme for the ceremony was: ‘Sustaining Economic Freedom Through Vocational Training’, and Mrs Kporvie mentioned high living standards, full employment, new technologies and long life expectancy as some socio-economic benefits of investing in TVET.
To this end, she suggested a balanced approach in the school curriculum through the integration of technical, employability and general skills in vocational programmes and vocational curricula that would be flexible and responsive to the present and future needs of the nation.
The graduands were taken through a two-year intensive training in Fashion Designing and Bead making, and the school has added to its curriculum English Language, Mathematics, Business Management and Basic Computer Skills.
She advised parents and teachers to encourage children to go into TVET and urged government to provide ready soft loans to entrepreneurs.
Florence Gadzeti, Fashion examiner with the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI), for her part, congratulated the students and advised them to be of good behaviour and conduct as they go out to start their entrepreneurial projects.
She urged them to continue to upgrade themselves with new technologies in their craft work “and you must work hard to aspire higher and show dedication to your customers. You do not have to disappoint your customers in the delivery of your services.”
By: Umar Sheriff/awakenewsonline.com