The Campaign Manager of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor Joshua Alabi has said that the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme of the NDC flagbearer, John Mahama is going to be the main engine to drive the economy.
Professor Alabi, reacting to the TVET programme outlined by John Mahama during his tour of the country, said that experiential knowledge for progression to higher levels will be recognized by the TVET programme adding the time is ripe for the country to see technical and vocation education and training as a potent tool for development.
Throwing more light on the party’s TVET programme, Professor Alabi said, the NDC Presidential Candidate believes that providing financial support to an apprentice would contribute towards both job creation and the development of the critical mass needed for national development.
“The next government of His Excellency President John Mahama will focus on job creation and we are going to look at vocational and technical training since a lot of the youth fall in the skills development category.”
He also announced that, the party when voted into power will absorb apprenticeship fees paid by carpenters, welders, plumbers, electricians, and hairdressers, among others.
“The government of HE John Mahama would absorb the fees that they usually pay to their masters and the NDC government will deploy a prior learning recognition framework which would recognize knowledge gained through experience.”
Professor Alabi further explained the national comprehensive qualifications framework would mark the knowledge gained through training and experience to various levels for progression from certificate level, through Diploma to a degree (B-Tech), masters (M-Tech) and professional Doctorates (D-Tech).
He said the qualification framework would apply to those apprentices who want to progress to acquire higher qualifications.
“The certificate acquired would define what one can do and that would be used to place those who want to progress on the professional academic ladder. The certificate acquired can qualify one into either technical school or technical university. So one has the opportunity to continue to practice his skills in his own business while at the same time attend technical university if he or she so wished.”
According to him, the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) has in place the qualification framework to recognise prior learning but this has not yet received full implementation.
He further went on to say that,
“Next NDC government under the able leadership of H.E John Mahama will give full meaning to these existing policies and framework to promote TVET in Ghana to drive Ghana’s development agenda.”
“If you want to be a dressmaker, the government will absorb the amount required and we would establish technical universities in the new regions as well as technical and vocational schools across the country.
“First you are guaranteed your jobs then if you want to progress beyond that you can attend any of the technical universities because they are going to be free, the programme is designed to facilitate technology transfer at all levels.”
The tradition in Ghana is that an apprentice learning any trade may have to pay an amount as a commitment fee to their masters. This amount sometimes serves as a setback to some people who critically need to acquire the skills.
