Female electronics professionals' programme launched

Accra, June 3, GNA - The Ministry of Education in collaboration with Samsung and Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET), has launched the female electronic professionals programme to train females in electronics.

The project which was launched in Accra intends to graduate 117 females most of whom are Junior High School leavers by 2017 to address the electronic skills mismatch in the country.

Other supporting developmental bodies are the German and International Development Co-operation (GIZ), Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, Minister of Education, who launched the programme said Technical and Vocational Education and training has been identified as the means to provide the needed skills to empower the youth to spur social and economic growth in Ghana by creating self-employment after school and contributing to the economic growth.

She said it is evident that Ghana is endowed with skilled tradesmen in a number of sectors of the economy like manufacturing, construction and engineering.

'But you would agree with me that these skilled areas are dominated by males and considered as the preserve of men.'

She observed that COTVET has over the years being implementing policies, projects and programmes to deliver demand driven skills to support Ghana's economic growth agenda.

The Minister said the process has taken cognizance of the gender perspectives of skills development, responding to peculiar needs of males and females in the sector.

Addressing the students, she urged them to give the bodies in charge of the programme constant feedback on the obstacles that sometimes discourages them from making progress on the programme so that it could take the necessary measures to curb it.

Prof Opoku Agyemang said the project is being piloted in Don Bosco Vocational in Ashaiman, Accra Girls Vocational Institute in Tesano, Pentecost Vocational Training Centre in Gbawe and CYO Vocational Institute in Sovie in the Volta Region.

'Since only government cannot achieve the high expectations towards skills training in the country, it was a welcome relief when GIZ, KOICA, and Samsung Group decided to partner COTVET and the Government in carrying out this laudable project,' she said.

Mr Sebastian Deh, Executive Director, COTVET said 1.3 billion dollars would be used to fund the project to cover the equipment cost, scholarship for the students and allowances for the teachers.

He said it is the responsibility of the Council to ensure that reforms initiated by the government are rolled out to stakeholders.

'We also used this initiative to deepen our relationship with the partners behind this programme who are ensuring that what we are bringing into the new curriculum is being supported,' he said.

Mr Deh noted that the programme gives meaning to COTVET's unique gender strategy, adding that the Council would stay focused to help in ensuring the continuity and sustainability of the programme.

Mr Jingak Chung, Managing Director of Samsung Electronics West Africa speaking at the launch said Samsung's core business relies heavily on being able to access skilled people in the engineering and technological fields, so joining forces and improving formations such as this programme is a good step.

'Samsung has impacted the Ghanaian community with various corporate social initiatives in the past some of which are the solar powered internet school in Dago, digital village in Volo and two smart schools for teachers located in Bole and Komenda as well which will be launched soon.'

Mr Chung said Samsung's philosophy is to devote their human resources and technology to create superior products and services, thereby contributing to a better global society.

He said the project is expected to increase the number of women making advances in the male dominated industry of electronics tipping the scales and positioning women in finding quality jobs through vocational training which can create more income and added value. GNA