Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum
The Education Ministry has announced the release of the 2021/2022 school placements including, for the first time, the Free Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative.
According to the Free Senior High School (FSHS) Coordinator, Mr. William Darkwah, all qualified candidates who chose to pursue TVET at any government-approved Senior High School (SHS), Senior High Technical School (SHTS) or any TVET institution will enjoy all the benefits of the FSHS initiative.
Briefing the media in Accra on Friday, the Press Secretary urged all parents to ensure that their children or wards who are interested in the TVET programme are encouraged to select TVET if they are to do self-placement.
Mr. Darkwah said, currently, one hundred and eighty-six (186) TVET institutions, fairly and strategically located across the country, are ready to run the Free TVET system up to Certificate II level.
A total of 571,892 candidates wrote the 2021/2022 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), after which 555,353 candidates qualified to pursue further education at the second cycle level. Out of the number who qualified, 367,811 were automatically placed in their school of choice, leaving only 187,542 to do self-placement.
The 187,542 are expected to follow the laid down processes to do the self-placement within the shortest possible time before the system is shut down or closed.
“The huge investment made by government since 2018 attests to the importance the government attaches to the TVET sector,” the FSHS coordinator said.
Revamping the Sector
On July 5, 2018, the Government of Ghana signed a contract with PC Education Africa Ventures Ghana Limited – for “upgrading and modernisation of the vocational education system in Ghana.”
This was followed by the official sod cutting for commencement of the project at the grounds of the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in East Legon on December 19, 2019 by the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Trade Areas
Mr. Darkwah mentioned some of the areas of study (Trade Areas in TVET institutes) in the TVET sector in the country as; Agricultural Mechanisation Technology, Building Construction Technology, Auto Body Repairs, Architectural Draughting, Wood Construction Technology, Hospitality and Catering Management, Cosmetology, Electrical Engineering Technology, Electrical Machine Rewinding, General Textiles, Heavy Duty and Diesel Mechanics, Industrial Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering Craft Practice, and Motor Vehicle Engineering.
The rest of the courses are Creative Art Technology, Plumbing and Gas Fitting Technology, Printing, Electronic Engineering, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Mechanics, Small Engines Repairs, Welding and Fabrication Technology, Information Technology, Computer Hardware Technology among others.