Accra: Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Chairman of the African Business Center for Developing Education (ABCDE), has reiterated the importance of vocational and technical education in Ghana's economic transformation. He emphasized that Ghana's industrialisation journey must be anchored on quality education and vocational training, equipping young people, especially women, with the skills necessary to drive the economy. Dr Spio-Garbrah was speaking at an International Women's Day forum themed 'Accelerating Action: Building Momentum for the Affirmative Action Act in TVET,' in Accra.
According to Ghana News Agency, the event focused on how TVET could bridge the technical and vocational skills gaps and play a pivotal role in quickening the implementation of the Affirmative Action Act. Dr Spio-Garbrah highlighted the success of countries like Korea, Japan, China, and some European nations in mastering vocational and technical education, which had significantly contributed to their rapid economic growth. He noted that China's emphasis on engineering sciences, producing nearly a million engineers as part of a strategic initiative under their former leader, was a key to their success.
Dr Irene Agyenim-Boateng, Vice-Chair of the Public Services Commission, highlighted the TVET programme's potential to bridge Ghana's technical and vocational skills gap while playing a crucial role in accelerating the Affirmative Action Act. She acknowledged the persistent gender disparity in technical fields and called for the effective implementation of the Affirmative Action Act to ensure women were not discriminated against in education, leadership, or the workplace. Dr Agyenim-Boateng urged stakeholders to take deliberate steps to accelerate the Act's provisions, ensuring they went beyond theoretical commitments.
Dr Eric Kofi Adzroe, the Acting Director-General of the Ghana TVET Service, stated that the Service was implementing strategies to ensure that both boys and girls had equal opportunities in technical and vocational education. He highlighted the increasing demand for technical education, with more than 56,000 applications this year, demonstrating the growing awareness of its importance.
