Accra, Jan 24, - Mrs Barbara
Asher Ayisi, the Deputy Minister in charge of Technical and Vocational
Education, says technical education is not for school dropout but for students
who have the talent to excel.
She said the Ministry together
with a team was working assiduously to organize a seminar on the importance of
technical education with the view to demystifying the notion that vocational
education was reserved for students with low academic performance.
In an interview with the Ghana
News Agency in Accra, the Minister said the Ministry was working to upgrade and
revamp technical education to meet international standards as well make it more
competitive.
She said the Ministry had plans
to realign all technical and vocational institutions under the Ministry of
education to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of policies and as well
address pertinent challenges that arise.
The Deputy Minister, also the
Member of Parliament for Cape Coast North, said technical and vocational
education had the potential of improving the socio-economic sector of the
country and that government would prioritize technical education to give
opportunities to the youth to develop their talents.
Mrs Ayisi was of the view that
the economic competiveness of a country depended on the skills of its work
force, since the sector was perceived as one of the crucial elements in
enhancing economic productivity.
She said graduate unemployment
had increased because most of them do not have any employable skills that can
make them self-sustained.
Mrs Ayisi noted that a reform in
the country’s technical education would create conditions to ensure that every
pupil, after completing primary school, had acquired a general technical
education, which could liaise in further study and in everyday life.
She admonished parents to be
interested in the educational activities of their wards and most importantly
know their interest of subjects and guide them to develop their future careers,
rather than forcing them to read subjects they are not interested.
According to her, the technical
and vocational education had not received the needed importance it deserved and
that the country can curb unemployment rate if we invest and take the studies
of vocational education seriously.
She noted that government was
poised to dispel the notion that vocational education was for weak students and
encouraged parents to help their wards to opt for courses in which they have
the greatest advantage.
In a related development the Deputy
Minister, sharing her experience at an international conference she attended in
South Africa and Zambia on comprehensive Sexuality Education, urged parents to
open up with issues about sex to their children.
She said most parents were unable
to discuss issues about sex to their wards and as a result, they learn from the
internet and friends and indulge in sexual acts, which affects their lives and
future careers.
She said even though there are
educations on sexuality in the country, the rate of teenage pregnancies and HIV
AIDS were still on the ascendancy and that all and sundry must be involved to
address the menace.
Mrs Ayisi said government was
committed to put in place the necessary policies and programmes to fight the
menace of teenage pregnancy and HIV AIDS in the country.
GNA
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