A national apprenticeship programme to provide technical and vocational training for junior high school graduates who could not gain admission to second cycle schools, has been launched at Sogakope in the South Tongu District in the Volta Region.
The programme, dubbed, “Apprenticeship as a means of self-employment”, will be organised and monitored by the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET).
The first batch of 5,000 junior high school graduates will be attached to master craftsmen selected and trained nationwide by COTVET in five trade areas namely; Automobile/engineering, electronics, cosmetology, garment making, welding and fabrication.
They will undergo a 12-month of apprenticeship training, after which they will be supplied with tools to start their trades to enable them earn a living.
Launching the programme, the Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Joseph Annan, said the programme would serve as a relief for the over 60 per cent of basic school leavers who could not gain admission into the senior high schools.
“There is empirical evidence show that most of these graduates are neither in training nor in any employment, as they are only roaming the streets, buying nor selling on some routes in Accra and other places,” he said.
Dr. Annan stated that this situation, if allowed to continue, would not help promote the development agenda of the nation adding “that is why the government is taking steps to make informal apprenticeship more attractive”.
He said the government has sourced over $1million through the Danish Embassy to embark on the training of the over 1,000 master craft persons in 40 districts across the country by the end of this month.
Dr. Annan said the government has budgeted about GH¢3million to ensure the sustainability of the programme and urged the municipal and district assemblies to ensure it.
He said COTVET will sign an apprenticeship contract with the masters and the apprentices within the framework of the programme for the utilisation of the government funds.
Dr. Annan reiterated the government’s commitment to provide the needed infrastructure, tools and equipment to promote the youth skill training.
He therefore appealed to the masters and the apprentices to ensure proper maintenance of the tools and equipment the government would provided for the training programme.
The programme, dubbed, “Apprenticeship as a means of self-employment”, will be organised and monitored by the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET).
The first batch of 5,000 junior high school graduates will be attached to master craftsmen selected and trained nationwide by COTVET in five trade areas namely; Automobile/engineering, electronics, cosmetology, garment making, welding and fabrication.
They will undergo a 12-month of apprenticeship training, after which they will be supplied with tools to start their trades to enable them earn a living.
Launching the programme, the Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Joseph Annan, said the programme would serve as a relief for the over 60 per cent of basic school leavers who could not gain admission into the senior high schools.
“There is empirical evidence show that most of these graduates are neither in training nor in any employment, as they are only roaming the streets, buying nor selling on some routes in Accra and other places,” he said.
Dr. Annan stated that this situation, if allowed to continue, would not help promote the development agenda of the nation adding “that is why the government is taking steps to make informal apprenticeship more attractive”.
He said the government has sourced over $1million through the Danish Embassy to embark on the training of the over 1,000 master craft persons in 40 districts across the country by the end of this month.
Dr. Annan said the government has budgeted about GH¢3million to ensure the sustainability of the programme and urged the municipal and district assemblies to ensure it.
He said COTVET will sign an apprenticeship contract with the masters and the apprentices within the framework of the programme for the utilisation of the government funds.
Dr. Annan reiterated the government’s commitment to provide the needed infrastructure, tools and equipment to promote the youth skill training.
He therefore appealed to the masters and the apprentices to ensure proper maintenance of the tools and equipment the government would provided for the training programme.
