By Kwabia Owusu-Mensah
Kumasi, Sept. 30, GNA – Beneficiaries of the Competency-based Training (CBT) programme, have been urged to maximise the skills and opportunities offered by the programme to impact positively on technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the country.
As facilitators who have received the needed competencies through the CBT programme, which is being implemented by the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Development (AAMUSTED), they have the onerous responsibility to ensure that learners put in their care, were trained in TVET for the world of work.
Professor Fredrick Kwaku Sarfo, Vice Chancellor of AAMUSTED, made the call at the graduation of 150 tutors of TVET colleges of education, who have completed the diploma in CBT programme at the university, in Kumasi.
The CBT programme is a partnership between AAMUSTED, GIZ and the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) to provide extensive training on competency-based training to CBT facilitators as part of efforts to support quality CBT delivery in TVET institutions across the country and to sustainably anchor the inclusion of CBT education in TVET teacher training.
So far, a total of 1,476 facilitators selected from a wide range of relevant TVET institutions all over the country have been trained since the programme started in February this year.
They include 120 workplace facilitators from industry, 100 in CBT programme development from industry, 500 master craft persons in workplace facilitation and supervision, and 400 CBT facilitators, assessors, and internal verifiers from technical institutes and technical universities.
Others are 100 external verifiers from technical institutes and technical universities, 50 CBT programme managers from technical institutes and technical universities and 50 disability and gender inclusiveness participants from technical institutes and technical universities.
Prof. Sarfo pointed out that, if all the beneficiaries would maximize the competencies and expertise gained from the training, they would be making a significant impact on Ghana’s socio-economic situation not too long from now.
He said AAMUSTED as the foremost TVET and entrepreneurial development teacher education University in Ghana, would continue to discharge its mandate to provide competent human resources for the TVET sector to help create employment for the youth and improve the lives of the people.
Prof. Sarfo charged the beneficiaries of the programme to put in practice the authentic training they had received and make exemplary outputs reflect positively on all partners who supported and funded the training programme.
Mr Paul Akwasi Agyeman, Chairman of the Council of AAMUSTED, commended the government for placing greater emphasis and strengthening the TVET sector in the country.
This, he said, would help solve the increasing unemployment situation in the country.
Mr Sampson Damptey Tettey, Deputy Director in charge of CBT at the CTVET said competency-based training was necessary to provide quality standards in the industry.
He said the CTVET was working to provide documentation such as licensure and accreditation for TVET facilitators as a way of strengthening professional competence in the area.
Ms Ulrika Schimt, Head of the TVET Unit of GIZ, said competency-based training was a mark of the good quality TVET system.
She charged the facilitators to be agents of change in the country’s TVET landscape and support the training of their colleagues and people in their localities.
GNA