TVET, Electrifying the future of Ghana (by Rita Batse)

For many years as a country, we have neglected the technical and vocational sectors. As a nation, we want to develop but we’re not ready to make the necessary sacrifice that will bring about the development. We want to reduce importation, we want to be self-sufficient, we want to see all the things such as the cars, the houses, TVs, motors, bicycles, basic tools and equipment being produced here but we’re not ready to embrace TVET. The launch of the TVET Service gives me hope that all is not lost for this country, we can correct our mistakes and becomes like the Asian giants.

The launch of TVET Service proves that government is trying to solidify the foundation for this nation. Without a solid TVET sector, the one district one factory (1d1f), youstart, will be useless because we will not have the human capital needed to manage and work in those sectors. A good example is the light tools and machine factory at Hohoe in the volta region under 1d1f. If we can’t get TVET graduates to operate those machines and make use of the place, then we will need foreigners which will even defeat the purpose of the initiative to create employment for the youth in that community. And if 1d1f becomes useless then our Ghana beyond Aid agenda will collapse. Mind you, Ghana beyond aid is not a days event or slogan but a process into the future. As this TVET Service has been launched, the purpose of 1d1f, youstart and Ghana beyond aid makes more sense to me now than before.

In this country we laugh at people who choose TVET instead of the formal SHS. We make it look as if TVET is for dropouts and the unintelligent. We applaud those who can chew and pour some textbook paragraph in English language, economics, etc and hail them as brilliant and laugh at the ones who have the ability to not only read what is in the book but also transform it into reality such as the houses, the shoes, the dresses, the furniture, the foods, the cars, etc. Parents have discouraged their children from choosing TVET because of the mockery of society. We admire all the great things from China but we don’t want our children to do what they are doing. We want all our children to sit in a banking hall and with some magic transform the economy. Parents, allow your children to choose TVET. And to the public, enough of the ignorance, stop mocking those in the sector, cos they are the future.

Enrollment in TVET has moved at the secondary level from 17,000 to about 24,000 in 2021 due to free TVET, with about 186 TVET schools. Government has pushed $1 billion of investment over the 4 years. Investment in 34 NVTIs, 17 technical secondary schools and retooling of all 10 technical universities as a good start. More needs to be done for TVET and skills acquisition so that programs like the #Youstart will be sustainable. Also TVET must start from our Junior high schools. More practicals are needed at the JHS to nurture or grow the talents and passion at a young age. There must be rebranding of technical schools to make them attractive especially their physical infrastructure (school buildings), etc.
But if all these are done and parents do not encourage their children to choose these TVET, we will still be where we are or even go backwards after 30 years.
The media must join hands to drive the TVET campaign. There must be competition among technical schools to help showcase their talents.
The future is now, the future is TVET!

BY: Rita Batse

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