By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, Oct. 20, GNA – Professor Humphrey Danso, Dean, School of Graduate Studies, the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED), says private sector involvement in curriculum development will ensure that the content is relevant and up to date.
He said companies could provide insight into emerging trends and technologies that should be included in the curriculum.
Prof Danso was speaking at a roundtable for Private Sector Engagement and Partnership in Technical
and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) organised by GIZ-Pact for Skills as part of the Project Support to the Transformation of the TVET System in Ghana.
The engagement, which was part of the Maiden Africa Skills Week, aimed to foster public-private dialogue on how to improve private sector involvement in TVET to support better educational and employment outcomes.
It also explored industry partnership and showcased the best practices in Africa.
The Africa Skills Week hosted by the Government of Ghana and organized by the African Union on the theme: “Skills and Jobs for the 21st Century: Quality Skills Development for Sustainable Employability in Africa” is to raise awareness about the significance of skills development in enhancing employability, entrepreneurship, and economic resilience in Africa.
It is to facilitate the exchange of best practices, innovative approaches, and successful initiatives in skills development among stakeholders from across Africa and beyond.
It is to provide a platform for policymakers, educators, industry leaders, and other stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue on policies and strategies to strengthen African skills development ecosystems.
He said private companies could help ensure that TVET programmes were aligned with current industry standards and future needs, and this meant that students would be learning skills that were directly applicable to the job market.
The Dean said companies could invest in TVET institutions by providing funding, equipment and expertise and this could enhance the quality of training and provide students with access to State-of-the-Art technology.
He said the private sector could also provide partnerships to facilitate work-based learning opportunities such as internship, apprenticeship and on-the-job training to give the students practical experience.
Prof Danso said the private sector could close the skills gap by aligning training programmes with actual industry needs to ensure that graduates were ready for the workforce and their involvement could also ensure economic growth.
“This is because a skilled workforce drives productivity and innovation, which in turn fuels economic growth,” he added.
He said companies that invested in training and development often saw higher employee satisfaction and retention.
“Private sector involvement can help uplift entire communities by creating job opportunities and fostering economic stability,” he said.
He said these partnerships created a win-win situation, where businesses get a pipeline of skilled workers and students received quality education and training that enhanced their employability.
Madam Constance Swaniker, Chairperson of the Sector Skills Committee, said it was important that facilitators at TVET Centres were from industry, trained to impact greatly on the learners.
She said there was the need to invest in training of these facilitators, whose skills were lacking in the African Continent.
Dr Anthony Gewer, a Representative of National Business Initiative South Africa, said TVET could not meet all the demands of industry, hence, the work-based training was very important.
He said the TVET could not resolve all the challenges of the economy, but they could make some contributions to its development.
Mr Benedict Mensah, Representative of Don Bosco Training Institute, called on the government to enforce the labour laws and ensure standards in the industry, adding that stakeholders should not exploit students, who come on industrial attachment.
GNA