By Christopher Tetteh
Sunyani, July 12, GNA – The Sunyani Youth Development Association (SYDA), has commended the government for improving Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme which is impacting positively the socio-economic livelihoods of the youth in the country.
Mr Atta Atta Akoto Snr, the President of SYDA, who gave the commendation, called on the private sector to support the government to sustain and strengthen the TVET programme to create more jobs for the youth.
He was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani after the Association presented a brand-new industrial sewing machine valued GH¢6,000 to one of its trainees to start a business under the association’s three-year Integrated Sewing Project.
Mr Akoto said TVET education and other related employable skills training held the key to the nation’s development, saying, “government commitment shows that TVET has come to stay and it’s important for us to support the government to sustain and strengthen it”.
“The government alone cannot absorb all the youth into TVET programme,” he stated and called for support from the private sector.
Mr Akoto explained that currently more than 60 other trainees are undertaking various employable skills training in 12 modules of the association’s Integrated Sewing Project.
The modules comprise Kente and smock weaving, auto mechanic, dressmaking, hairdressing, aluminum fabrication, bicycle repairing, cosmetology, make-up, visual arts, wood technology, Mr Akoto said the project, had so far, graduated 65 youth and provided them with start-up tools to set up their own shops.
Mary Gati, the beneficiary, expressed appreciation to the association for the support and expressed the hope that more vulnerable and unemployed youth would benefit from the gesture.
After completing the three-year training and six months industrial attachment, Gati, now a seamstress also sat for the 2023 National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) Proficiency one practical exams, which is a compulsory requirement of SYDA.
She went through business management and entrepreneurship training and exchange programmes and graduated as a complete Mastercraft lady in October 2023.
Mr Saviour Savato, Gati’s uncle, also thanked the association, describing the support as amazing and worthwhile.
GNA