The Chief Executive Officer of Grow Africa GH, Jacob Avogo, has expressed concern that technical and vocational education in Ghana continues to suffer from long-standing negative perceptions, despite efforts to promote skills development among young people.
Speaking on A1 Radio, Mr. Avogo noted that many people still view technical and vocational training as an option for students who perform poorly academically. According to him, this perception has remained largely unchanged over the years and continues to affect public interest in technical education.
He argued that insufficient government efforts to change public attitudes have contributed to the problem, adding that the sector does not receive the level of attention and investment needed to make it more attractive and effective.
“The way we think, that is not the way it is. The government has not done that. So you notice that even funding to the technical schools and the technical institutions, it’s not that much.”
Mr. Avogo further raised concerns about the quality of training in many technical institutions, saying students often complete their programmes without acquiring the practical skills required for the job market. He attributed this challenge partly to an overemphasis on theoretical instruction at the expense of hands-on training.
According to him, technical and vocational education should focus more on practical competencies, since graduates depend largely on these skills when they enter the workforce. He stressed the importance of recruiting instructors with strong industry experience and practical expertise to better prepare students for employment and entrepreneurship.
“You see, at the school, the lecturers take them through theory 80%, practical 20%. When they come out, the theory, they’re not going to use the theory much in their life or in their business space. It’s the practical they are coming to use. So when you employ instructors or lecturers or tutors that are good in theory and are not good in practical, tell me how they will teach these children or these students the practical aspect of the work, which they will need when they are out of school.”
The Grow Africa GH CEO also highlighted the need to pay greater attention to apprenticeship programmes and informal skills training. He said artisans and master craftsmen in various trades, including welding, masonry, electrical installation, hairdressing, styling, and decorative finishing, have consistently raised concerns about the declining quality of trainees entering the workforce.
Mr. Avogo maintained that mastering a vocational skill requires adequate training time and practical exposure, arguing that short training periods are often insufficient to produce competent professionals.
“There is no vocational skill that you can learn, that you can learn properly in less than three years or five years. If you learn it within one year, two years, you can’t do anything properly,” he said.
He called for a renewed focus on the interests of young people and advocated a comprehensive rebranding of the technical and vocational education sector. He believes such reforms would help improve public confidence in vocational careers, strengthen skills acquisition, and better position young people to take advantage of employment opportunities.
A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | Gifty Eyram Kudiabor | Bolgatanga
