He said the initiative will be launched later in the year to help equip the youth with skills for the transformation of the Ghanaian economy.

The initiative implies that, students within the various technical and vocational institutions as well as technical universities in Ghana will attend school free of charge.

Ghana currently has some form of free education from the basic level up to the senior high school level.

Delivering a keynote address at the National Conference on Technical and Vocational Educational and Training (TVET), at the Koforidua Technical University on Thursday, President Akufo-Addo said the free technical education will run parallel with the free basic and senior high school programme.

“This year, we are taking an equally dramatic and important step to align education to our needs.  We are this year launching the flip side of Free SHS. Government is launching a system of free technical and vocational education that runs parallel to the high school or secondary school. We are aiming to provide our young people with technical and vocational skills at both the secondary and tertiary sectors of education, to enable graduates employ themselves, and employ others after their training,” he added.

Akufo-Addo said the strategy of his government is to expand technical and vocational opportunities at both secondary and tertiary levels, and thereby strengthen the linkages between education and industry, as well as empower young people to deploy their skills to employ themselves and others.

“What I envisage in the technical and vocational education sector would involve a truly radical change in attitude on the part of all of us. Throughout the years, enough lip service has been paid to the TVET sector,” he said.

The President further stressed that “this time we are backing the talk with money and political will. This time, the interventions will be focused and seen through to proper conclusion.”

Nana Addo also told participants at the conference that his government is starting with the launch of a major project that will emphasize the importance of TVET, and redeem the misconception that technical and vocational education is inferior, and patronized only by less endowed students.

“We are aligning and bringing all public TVET institutions in the country under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Education to streamline their curricula, and improve the co-ordination of their training. To this end, one Deputy Minister for Education is to be specifically responsible for technical and vocational education, like there is a dedicated Minister of State for Tertiary Education,” he said.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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COTVET has said this move is in line with government’s renewed focus on making Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) “the bedrock of its agenda to Industrialize the country’s economy.”

The priority sectors considered for the first phase of the audit are; Agriculture, Manufacturing, construction, information communication technology, tourism and hospitality, energy, electronics, automation and electricals.

“Among other things, PricewaterhouseCoopers (Ghana) Limited are expected to profile occupations in all sectors mentioned, develop a directory of the skill-sets requirement of all occupations along their value chains, conduct a skills audit of the industries within the sectors, conduct programmes audit of TVET institutions and Technical Universities and their related skills-sets, conduct analysis of the skills gap identified in occupations within various sectors, and determine the programmes relevant to the world of work with stakeholders,” a statement from COTVET said.

The findings of the audit are expected to “contribute to the setting up of Sector Skills Councils to help with the generation and upgrading of standards within the Competency-Based Training (CBT) Framework.”

Find the full statement below

COTVET and PWC Sign agreement for Skills Gap Analysis and Audit (Phase I)

The Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET), representing the Government of Ghana has signed an agreement with PricewaterhouseCoopers (Ghana) Limited to conduct a Skills Gap Analysis and Audit in seven priority sectors.

In line with government’s renewed focus on making Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) the bedrock of its agenda to Industrialise the country’s economy and Ghana beyond aid, COTVET as part of advancing its mandate of overseeing, regulating and giving policy advice to Government is leading the process of Transforming TVET delivery to make it relevant to industry by producing the required expertise to propel growth within specified sectors in the long term.

The priority sectors considered for the first phase are; Agriculture, Manufacturing, Construction, Information Communication Technology, Tourism and Hospitality, Energy (Renewable Energy and Oil & Gas), Electronics, Automation and Electrical.

Among other things, PricewaterhouseCoopers (Ghana) Limited are expected to profile occupations in all sectors mentioned, develop a directory of the skill-sets requirement of all occupations along their value chains, conduct a skills audit of the industries within the sectors, conduct programmes audit of TVET institutions and Technical Universities and their related skills-sets, conduct analysis of the skills gap identified in occupations within various sectors, and determine the programmes relevant to the world of work with stakeholders.

The exercise forms part of various measures outline in the TVET Transformational Agenda (2018-2022). The Ministry of Education (MOE) is working through COTVET to ensure that all stakeholders within the TVET and Skills development landscape are engaged.

The Analysis and Audit findings will contribute to the setting up of Sector Skills Councils to help with the generation and upgrading of standards within the Competency-Based Training (CBT) Framework.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The manual is expected to help pupils with their career choices and outline opportunities in the Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) sector.

With this launch, COTVET hopes to help pupils in JHS make the right TVET career choices. The manual seeks to help JHS pupils to understand themselves and potentials, know the opportunities in the world of work, develop career alternatives and finally prepare them for their chosen careers.

Dr. Ebenezer Adaku, a lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) business school, who helped develop the manual, noted to Citi News that “this manual is supposed to provide them [pupils] information about all the careers in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and for now COTVET is championing this course and working towards the realization of it.”

He added that this manual will also serve as a guide for people who are not in the TVET or vocational education sector, to also know the available career opportunities in TVET.

Reducing unemployment

Also speaking to Citi News, John Mensah Annang, a research officer at the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) of curriculum and research, lamented that the educational system does not give enough support to vocational education.

He said there is the need to give the vocational sector a new focus to help bring out the entrepreneurial skills in pupils to help reduce unemployment.

“We need to give the technical and vocational education and training a new focus so that at least the learners in our basic institution will acquire the needed skill that can re-position them in life,” Mr. Annang said.

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By: Farida Yusif/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The GSTDP, which comprises four components, aims to achieve improved demand-driven skills development, and increased adoption of new technologies in selected economic sectors for industry, training and research institutions involved in the delivery of skills and technology.

The first component is to strengthen government institutional capacity in planning, coordination, quality assurance and service delivery towards improved quality, relevance, accountability and effectiveness in skills development.

Dr Fred Kyei Asamoah, the COTVET Executive Director, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the first component of the GSTD had been able to develop about 30 manuals which were being utilised by Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

He said they had as well developed management information system which covered monitoring and evaluation, quality assurance, and institutional development plan being part of the outcomes of the project.

Dr Kyei Asamoah linked the skills development to government’s one district one factory programme, saying; “The factories could run successfully if there are competent employees who have acquired the requisite skills”.

He said COTVET was working with the Ministry of Trade and Industry to identify the different categories of industries that would be established so that COTVET and its stakeholders would prepare to support them.

He explained that the support would enable the factories to come up with the highest standards of products and services.

Mrs Patricia de Bruijn, the Managing Director of Cadena International, said the 21st-century classroom and workshops covered digital content in a virtual learning environment, harnessing emerging technologies, and Integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based learning in TVET.

She said the objective was to improve access, relevance and quality of TVET education through the integration of ICT based resources, and the introduction of new technologies combined with practical hands-on education and training.

Speaking on the introduction of smart classrooms for TVET improvement, Mrs de Bruijn said the smart classrooms enhances traditional TVET teaching, teacher performance and delivery, interdisciplinary work, self-paced learning, working on different assignments in small groups and maximising the use of the existing workshops.

The Second Component of the GSTDP project focuses on ‘Institutional Strengthening of Science and Technology Development’; which includes strengthening of planning, management, and coordination of national science, technology and innovation policies and programmes.

The Third Component would highlight ‘Financing of Skills and Technology Development Programmes’ through the Skills Development Fund which had been established with funding from Education Sector Programme, the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and the Ghana Education Trust Fund.

The Fourth Component would target Project Management and Monitoring and Evaluation, to provide effective implementation of the project by establishing a project support unit to assist COTVET and participating ministries for effective co-ordination, monitoring and evaluation.

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Source: GNA

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His appointment took effect from Monday, February 6, 2017.

Nana Akufo-Addo had earlier appointed Mustapha Ussif, as the the acting executive director of the National Service Scheme (NSS).

About Fred Kyei Asamoah

Mr. Asamoah is a pharmaceutical expert with experience, and of a proven track record in achieving results in drug design, public health, regulatory compliance and enforcement, policy planning and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, cooperate governance and strategic management.

He holds a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree at the University of Colorado, Denver Co, USA, having studied Public Health, Regulatory Compliance, pharmacogenomics/medication therapy management, diabetes education, ambulance care, hospital clinical practice, and drug information and management at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences.

He also holds Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, USA as well as Bachelor in Pharmacy (Hons) from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi.

Mr. Asamoah was the General Secretary of the Ghana Pharmaceutical Student Association from 1999 to 2000.

He has been recognized twice by CVS Health in 2015 and 2016 for “impact and contributions to service” due to leading team members in providing excellent service and being reported as having a positive impact on customer’s lives.

The former NPP Vice-Chairman, USA branch, is also known for providing training strategies and performance coaching techniques that were featured in a video utilized to train both existing and new employees for CVS Health’s in over 8,000 stores nationwide.

He is a licensed Pharmacist in Tennessee, Michigan and North Carolina. He also holds a Ghana Pharmacy Council License (PA 1880) and is a serving member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana.

Prior to his appointment by the President, he was the Regulatory and Compliance Manager, CVS Health, Charlotte, North Carolina.

He also served as the Pharmacy Manager, CVS Pharmacy from 2007 to 2014.

Between 2013 and 2014, Mr. Asamoah served as a Pharmacy Research Associate at the Stanley Regional Medical Center, Albemarle, North Carolina.

From 2005 to 2007, he worked as staff Pharmacist at the Wal-Mart Pharmacy in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

From 2004 to 2005, the pharmacy expert worked as the Programs Coordinator – Sub Saharan Aids Rescue, New York, New York.

In 2002 to 2004, Mr. Asamoah served as an intern at Edikay Pharmacy Limited, Kumasi where he was the Superintendent Pharmacist.

Mr. Asamoah when contacted on his new Appointment said he will work assiduously to ensure that the vision outlined in his political party’s manifesto (NPP) is achieved.

The party in its 2016 manifesto said it will use technical and vocational education as a tool for job creation.

To that effect, the former NPP Chairman, USA branch, said he intends to do things differently using all the appropriate approach to harness all the potentials in the sector to ensure that the President’s vision is achieved.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Answering questions posed by members of Parliament’s Appointments committee on Tuesday, January 24 in Parliament, Opoku-Prempeh said the NPP government will promote the teaching and learning of technical and vocational education in the country.

Below is an infographic with other key mentions he made at his vetting.

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By: Mawuli Tsikata/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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