Accra, May 4, GNA- The Design and Technology Institute (DTI), in partnership with Dabokpa Technical Institute in Tamale, has implemented a targeted institutional strengthening initiative aimed at improving the quality, relevance and inclusiveness of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) delivery.
The initiative, implemented in 2025 with support from the Mastercard Foundation, focused on upgrading key training laboratories in Welding and Fabrication, Fashion, Catering, Hospitality and Software Technology, while embedding DTI’s Precision Quality™️ (PQ™️) framework across programmes.
A statement issued in Accra said as part of the partnership, training of trainers was delivered to enhance instructional quality and align teaching with current industry standards and labour market needs.
It said the collaboration also introduced the PQ™️Internship Programme, which created structured transition pathways for unemployed graduates into employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship, supporting skills-to-work linkages.
It said, however, during implementation, a major barrier to participation was identified.
“Some young women enrolled in the programmes, particularly young mothers with toddlers, struggled to fully participate in training,” it added.
In some cases, trainees attended practical sessions with their children, raising safety concerns and exposing the lack of childcare support as a critical constraint to access and programme completion.
The statement said in response, DTI and Dabokpa Technical Institute introduced a gender-responsive intervention through the establishment of a Day Care Centre under the initiative dubbed “A Place to Learn, A Place to Care.”
The facility was officially commissioned to support young mothers to participate fully in skills training programmes without having to choose between education and childcare.
Madam Mariama Mahama, Principal of Dabokpa Technical Institute, described the initiative as a deliberate effort to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment.
She said the intervention had already encouraged some young mothers who had considered dropping out to remain in school, thereby improving access, retention and learner confidence.
Ms Constance Swaniker, Founder and President of DTI, emphasised that inclusive workforce development goes beyond technical training alone.
She noted that addressing systemic barriers to women’s participation in TVET required creating enabling environments that allow all learners, particularly women, to access opportunities and succeed.
She said investments in quality training must be matched with practical support systems that respond to the lived realities of learners.
The DTI Founder said the introduction of the day care facility has already contributed to improved participation, productivity and engagement within the institute, while reinforcing a broader shift towards gender-responsive TVET delivery.
The initiative demonstrates how targeted, ecosystem-driven interventions can unlock access for underserved groups while strengthening institutional performance and outcomes.
She said looking ahead, DTI and Dabokpa Technical Institute plan to deepen and institutionalise the model, with continued support from the Mastercard Foundation and collaboration with national institutions, including the Ghana Education Service, the National Service Secretariat and the Department of Social Welfare.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade