GIZ Ghana, CTVET Hold 2nd Women In TVET Conference In Accra

A day’s conference of Women in Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has been organized in Accra by the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) in collaboration with GIZ Ghana through the Ghana Skills Development Initiative (GSDI IV), CAMFED Ghana and WUSC, on the theme; “Promoting Inclusive TVET - the Role of Women.”

The event which coincided with the “International Women’s Day” celebration had the objective of encouraging young women to show interest and participate in male dominated trades and to highlight the situation where many young women still face professional and occupational limitations.

It brought together participants from selected Junior, Senior High Schools, Vocational and Technical Institutions in Accra as well as professional TVET oriented career women.

The Deputy Minister of Education in charge of TVET, Mrs. Gifty Twum-Ampofo, noted that TVET has the potential to spur socio-economic growth, decrease unemployment, and improve the skills and competencies of young people to become globally competitive.

This, she said is the reason why the Government of Ghana continues to invest heavily in the TVET sector since it assumed office in 2017.

She added that recognizing the role of effective communications in improving the perception of citizenry about TVET and its associated role of skills development in Ghana, CTVET under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, launched MyTVET campaign in 2019 to among other things, change the negative perceptions about TVET. It has also introduced the youth to a variety of skill areas and to help raise the profile of skilled people. Organizing the women in TVET Conference is one of the tools being employed by the campaign to achieve its objectives.

Mrs. Twum-Ampofo therefore encouraged young female students to take TVET seriously as it holds the key to an easy and successful future for them.

On her part, the Country Director for GIZ Ghana, Madam Regina Barbosa explained that German support for the development of TVET in Ghana has been well known and acknowledged.

"Actively embedded in this support has been the need to ensure that women are encouraged and persuaded to take up the challenge of participating in the so called male dominated trades within the TVET sector in the country. "This is evidenced by the numerous female oriented schemes and interventions that have been implemented in collaboration with the CTVET and other TVET Institutions.

Madam Barbosa therefore urged the Government of Ghana, and all concerned to continue to strive for excellence when it comes to empowering the female since they hold the key to the success of every society.

Dr Fred Kyei Asamoah, the Director General of the Commission for TVET said his outfit in June this year launched the MyTVET campaign to help change the negative perception about technical education in the country and inspire women to take up careers in male dominated fields.

He therefore used the occasion to thank all stakeholders especially the Development Partners who continue to support the Commission in its bid to ensure that TVET becomes a subject of choice for all young Ghanaians especially, females.