By Patrick Biddah
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has underscored the critical role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in addressing the country’s growing youth unemployment challenge.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Governing Council of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Services, the Minister called for a strategic rebranding of TVET to make it more appealing to the youth.
“The future of youth employment and skills development lies in harnessing the potential of technical and vocational trainees,” he stated.
Mr. Iddrisu urged the newly constituted Governing Council to work toward transforming public perception of TVET. According to him, technical and vocational education should no longer be seen as an inferior or alternative route, but as a core pillar of the country’s education and economic development agenda.
“We must reposition TVET not as an alternative or second option, but as a central pillar of our education system,” he said.
He emphasized that some individuals possess innate technical talents, while others develop skills through training, and both groups should be equally supported and encouraged.
“Some people are born with technical aptitude; others acquire it through training. Both must be valued equally,” he added.
The Minister, acknowledged that some TVET institutions are disadvantaged compared to others and charged the new Council to ensure a more balanced distribution of resources to enable all students to benefit equally.
He also announced a €5 million grant from the Italian government to support TVET development in Ghana. The grant follows discussions he held during a recent official visit to Italy.
“Following my visit to Italy, I’m pleased to announce a €5 million grant from the Italian government to support TVET education,” he said.
To ensure long-term support, the Minister revealed that plans are underway to allow the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to make dedicated allocations for TVET projects and institutions.
The newly appointed Board Chair of the Council, Mr. Sebastian Deh, expressed his gratitude to the President for the opportunity to serve.
“My colleagues and I will provide strategic leadership to transform TVET,” he assured.
“There is no better time for a paradigm shift than now.”
The inauguration marks a renewed commitment by government stakeholders to elevate technical and vocational education and integrate it more strongly into Ghana’s national development strategy.
