In a recent manifesto launch, former President John Dramani Mahama pledged to utilise the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) to provide vocational and technical education and create job opportunities for Ghanaian youth.
However, this promise is outdated, given recent educational reforms and legislative changes in Ghana.
As Mahama referenced, the NVTI is no longer the principal body for TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) training and certification.
The Education Regulatory Bodies Act 2020 (Act 1023) and the Pre-tertiary Education Act 2020 (Act 1049) have significantly altered the TVET landscape, shifting responsibilities from the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) to the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET).
This body now oversees the regulation, administration, promotion, assessment, and certification of all TVET institutions in Ghana.
The Ghana TVET Service manages public TVET institutions, while the Ghana Education Service (GES) now focuses solely on traditional education institutions.
Following the enactment of these acts, all technical and vocational schools, including those previously managed by NVTI, community development training centres, and others, were realigned under the Ministry of Education.
The TVET institutions and GES schools are integrated into the Schools Selection Placement System (CSSPS) as beneficiaries of the Free Senior High School (SHS) Policy.
The National TVET Qualifications Framework (NTVETQF), which includes eight levels from Proficiency 1 & 2 to Doctorate Degree of Technology, has been fully implemented.
Given the full implementation of the National TVET Qualifications Framework (NTVETQF), including its eight levels from Proficiency 1 & 2 to Doctorate Degree of Technology, Mahama’s promise to ‘fully implement the NTVETQF’ appears to be a redundant proposal in the current TVET landscape.
Mahama’s proposal to implement the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) also needs to be found.
The Commission for TVET has established and legally formalised the RPL policy, which is operational in over 17 approved TVET centres across Ghana.
This policy recognises competencies from traditional informal apprenticeships, an essential training method in the country.
Furthermore, the National Apprenticeship Policy, launched by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on March 13, 2024, has benefited over 19,000 Mastercraft Persons and apprentices, and plans are to upskill over 50,000 youth in the coming year.
Mahama’s idea of introducing Robotics competitions across SHS institutions is also critiqued as inferior compared to the current STEMNNOVATION competition.
The Ministry of Education’s STEMNNOVATION contest already covers SHS, SHTS, and TVET institutions and challenges students to apply Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to address community issues.
The Ministry of Education’s STEMNNOVATION contest, which already covers SHS, SHTS, and TVET institutions, has been a resounding success. It challenges students to apply Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to address community issues, with top participants even being invited to Japan.
Over 60% of Mahama’s proposed TVET policies are considered less effective than existing initiatives under the current administration, which have shown significant success and promise for the future of TVET in Ghana.
President Akufo-Addo’s policies, particularly Dr Bawumia’s vision to equip one million Ghanaians with digital skills, are viewed as superior and more aligned with the TVET system’s current needs, instilling confidence in the current leadership’s understanding of the TVET landscape.
The free TVET policy has significantly boosted enrollment, with over 60,000 students in the 2023/24 academic year, up from approximately 25,000 in 2017, indicating a promising future for TVET in Ghana.
