Minister for Education Yaw Osei Adutwum has made a passionate plea for Ghanaians to give the New Patriotic Party (NPP) four more years to complete its transformational agenda for the educational sector.
Speaking at the ongoing African Skill Summit, Adutwum emphasized the need for continuity in the government’s innovative programs aimed at revolutionizing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (T-VET).
According to Adutwum, Ghana’s T-VET sector requires a paradigm shift from merely repairing foreign-made equipment to innovating and manufacturing its tools and equipment.
He cited Germany’s successful T-VET model, which focuses on innovation and hands-on training, as a benchmark for Ghana to follow.
The Minister highlighted the importance of combining STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with hands-on training to drive transformation.
He noted that the current T-VET system, which is often perceived as being for those who are not academically inclined, needs to be overhauled.
To achieve this, Mr Yaw Adutwum announced plans to introduce technical courses in prominent schools like Opoku Ware and Wesley Girls, dispelling the notion that technical education is inferior.
He also emphasized the need for effective marketing to promote T-VET programs and attract more students.
Under the NPP government, significant strides have been made in expanding access to education, including the implementation of free senior high school education.
Yaw Adutwum, who played a key role in this initiative, believes that four more years are needed to consolidate these gains and complete the transformation of the educational sector.
-BY Daniel Bampoe