National Youth Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Forum calls for more investment in TVET education

National Youth Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Forum calls for more investment in TVET education at the just-ended 2023 forum attended by 19 institutions made up of agencies, and CSOs among others.

Issues discussed and resolutions reached have been captured in the OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE Issued by

FOUNDATION FOR SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA (FOSDA) IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OXFAM IN ACCRA, GHANA, ON 5^TH SEPTEMBER 2023.

Highlights of the communique

• The implementation of Ghana’s 5-year strategic plan (2017-2022) for TVET. The forum acknowledged that the plan had been significantly implemented and has achieved notable results, but that there is still room for improvement, especially in terms of infrastructure and teaching materials.
• The need for more investment in TVET education. The forum agreed that TVET is expensive, and that more investment is needed to transform the sector. They called for mechanisms and policies that will increase investment and support for the sector, as well as efficient spending.
• The need to improve the accessibility and quality of TVET education in Ghana. The forum discussed ways to make TVET more accessible to all Ghanaians, regardless of their background or location. They also discussed how to improve the quality of TVET education, so that it meets the needs of the 21st century workforce.
• The need to involve the private sector in TVET. The forum acknowledged that the private sector plays an important role in TVET, and called for increased collaboration between the public and private sectors. They also discussed how to make it easier for businesses to hire TVET graduates.
• The need to improve the dissemination of information about TVET. The forum discussed how to better inform young people about the opportunities available in TVET. They also discussed how to change the negative perceptions that some people have about TVET.

The forum adopted the following recommendations:

• Government should:
  • Upgrade all existing TVET institutions across the country with state-of-the-art facilities, i.e., practical rooms and laboratories, within the shortest possible time.
  • Make TVET more affordable and accessible to the youth by reviewing the Free TVET funding structure to accommodate the realistic cost of practical.
  • Adopt and develop green TVET programs and teaching methodologies.
  • Strengthen the coordination and collaboration between TVET institutions and employers.
  • Develop systems for consistently monitoring TVET institutions to enhance the culture of maintenance and sustainability of reforms.
  • Develop more programmes and expand support for youth start-ups in the TVET Sector.
  • Motivate industry players with tax incentives to support the TVET sector.
  • Increase domestic investment in TVET through the dedication of 30% of the Communication Service Tax from the youth bracket and 5% of the oil revenue from the education share of the Annual Budget Funding Amount to fund TVET education, particularly infrastructure, including accommodation, laboratory, and tools.
  • Engender national conversation on realistic cost development for the TVET sector/institutions.
  • Mobilization of internal resources – home-generated resources Effective planning, minimizing waste, and promoting efficient spending
  • Hold a national forum to discuss the realistic cost implication of the TVET sector development for the TVET sector/institutions.
• CSOs should:
  • Embark on activities to engender attitudinal change of citizens towards TVET.
  • Monitor and promote accountability in the TVET sector.
  • Engender national conversation on realistic cost development for the TVET sector/institutions.

The forum was a positive step forward for the TVET sector in Ghana. The forum raised awareness of the importance of TVET and generated a lot of discussion and debate on how to improve the sector. The recommendations from the forum will be used to inform the development of future TVET policies and programs.

FULL COMMUNIQUE

OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE

Issued by

FOUNDATION FOR SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA (FOSDA) IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OXFAM

IN ACCRA, GHANA, ON 5^TH SEPTEMBER 2023

Organizations Present:

1. Accra Technical Training Center
2. Africa Education Watch
3. All Africa Student Union (AASU)
4. Commission for Technical Vocational Education and Training
5. Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA)
6. Ghana Federation for Disability Organizations
7. Ghana TVET Service
8. Ghana Union of Technical Students
9. Girls Advocacy Network
10. NAGRAT
11. National Network of Youth Groups Ghana (NNYOG)
12. National Vocational Training Institutes (NVTI)
13. Nneka Youth Foundation
14. Northern Regional Youth Network (NRYN)
15. Oxfam in Ghana
16. Pilot Technical Institute Accra
17. Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND)
18. The Campaign Against Privatisation and Commercialisation of Education (CAPCOE)
19. Upper East Regional Youth Network

PREAMBLE

The National Youth Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Forum was held on Thursday, September 5, 2023, at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon.  The forum was organized by the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) with the support of Oxfam and funding from Danida. It was attended by representatives of youth groups, CSOs, government officials, TVET Schools, and other stakeholders.

The forum was a one-day event that took the form of presentations, panels, and plenary discussions. The forum reviewed the implementation of Ghana’s 5-year strategic plan (2017-2022) and FOSDA’s report on the My TVET My Report project, a youth-led monitoring of TVET schools nationwide. The report focused on accessibility and participation, quality, Infrastructure financing, and Adaptation of Green TVET. The panel discussions explored the views and experiences of participants on the reforms of the TVET sector in the last five years.

KEY ISSUES DISCUSSED

1. Stakeholders in the forum agreed that the TVET strategic plan had been significantly implemented and has achieved notable results such as the realignment of TVET institutions in the country under the Ministry of Education, establishment of the TVET Service, rebranding of the TVET Commission, infrastructure improvement of all National Vocational Training Institutions (NVTI), tooling of Technical Universities and some schools, among others. The stakeholders in the forum also admitted that irrespective of the huge gains made, a lot remains to be done, especially regarding infrastructure and teaching material in some TVET Schools.

2. The Forum also discussed and acknowledged that the green economy has a great potential for job creation. Participants observed that new jobs are being created in energy, water management, transportation, resource production, environmental conservation, etc. Also, the changing nature of the world of work, characterized by the shifts to green economies, extends the scope of TVET. Meeting the skills demand of the green economy also changes TVET’s current priorities at all levels. As such, the changing nature of the world of work, characterized by the shifts to green economies, extends the scope of responsibility of TVET policies and institutions to meet the skills demands of a constantly changing world. Other issues discussed included.

3. The forum also acknowledged that TVET education is expensive, hence the need for more investment in the sector for a total transformation. Participants believed that the current transformation and reformation process is relatively slow due to the expensive nature of the industry. This calls for Mechanisms and policies that will increase investment and support for the sector as well as efficient spending.

Other key issues discussed include:

1. Improving accessibility of TVET education in Ghana
2. Ongoing improvement of the Quality of TVET education delivery in Ghana

• Increase involvement of the private sector, especially for workplace internship

1. Improved dissemination of information and reforms to the youth (in-school and out-of-school) on the opportunities in the TVET sector.
2. Need to expand inform TVET training to absorb and attract naturally skilled people and people who want to change carriers.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The forum adopted the following recommendations:

Government should:

1. Upgrade all existing TVET institutions across the country with state-of-the-art facilities, i.e., practical rooms and laboratories, within the shortest possible time.
2. Make TVET more affordable and accessible to the youth by reviewing the Free TVET funding structure to accommodate the realistic cost of practical.

• Adopt and develop green TVET programs and teaching methodologies.

1. Strengthen the coordination and collaboration between TVET institutions and employers.
2. Develop systems for consistently monitoring TVET institutions to enhance the culture of maintenance and sustainability of reforms.
3. Develop more programmes and expand support for youth start-ups in the TVET Sector.

• Motivate industry players with tax incentives to support the TVET sector.
• Increase domestic investment in TVET through the dedication of 30% of the Communication Service Tax from the youth bracket and 5% of the oil revenue from the education share of the Annual Budget Funding Amount to fund TVET education, particularly infrastructure, including accommodation, laboratory, and tools.

1. Engender national conversation on realistic cost development for the TVET sector/institutions.
2. Mobilization of internal resources – home-generated resources Effective planning, minimizing waste, and promoting efficient spending
3. Hold a national forum to discuss the realistic cost implication of the TVET sector development for the TVET sector/institutions.

CSOs should:

• Embark on activities to engender attitudinal change of citizens towards TVET.
• Monitor and promote accountability in the TVET sector.
• Engender national conversation on realistic cost development for the TVET sector/institutions.

Conclusion

Despite Ghana’s economic challenges, the stakeholders in the forum agreed that the investment in TVET is critical and must be given priority by the government. The TVET Forum was a positive step forward for the TVET sector in Ghana. The forum raised awareness of the importance of TVET and generated a lot of discussion and debate on how to improve the sector. The recommendations from the forum will be used to inform the development of future TVET policies and programs.

1. Accra Technical Training Center
2. Africa Education Watch
3. All Africa Student Union (AASU)
4. Commission for Technical Vocational Education and Training
5. Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA)
6. Ghana Federation for Disability Organizations
7. Ghana TVET Service
8. Ghana Union of Technical Students
9. Girls Advocacy Network
10. NAGRAT
11. National Network of Youth Groups Ghana (NNYOG)
12. National Vocational Training Institutes (NVTI)
13. Nneka Youth Foundation
14. Northern Regional Youth Network (NRYN)
15. Oxfam in Ghana
16. Pilot Technical Institute Accra
17. Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND)
18. The Campaign Against Privatisation and Commercialisation of Education (CAPCOE)
19. Upper East Regional Youth Network