Education Tink Tank Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch), in collaboration with the African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET), has called for reforms in Ghana’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector to position it as a catalyst for national economic transformation.
This call was made during a validation workshop in Accra on Wednesday, April 30, where key findings from the recently concluded “TVET for Economic Transformation in Ghana” study were presented.
The workshop gathered stakeholders from government, the private sector, civil society, TVET institutions, and development partners to scrutinise the research and chart a path forward.
It revealed significant systemic weaknesses, including inadequate public funding, outdated training equipment, policy implementation gaps, poor digital infrastructure, and limited private sector engagement.
Among the most pressing concerns was the inadequate investment in green skills and competencies needed for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), highlighting the urgency to align TVET delivery with global workforce trends. The study also exposed gaps in teacher capacity, gender equity, and coordination between formal and informal TVET systems.
Addressing participants at the event, the Eduwatch Executive Director, Kofi Asare emphasised the need for decisive action: “The time to transform Ghana’s TVET system is now. We must shift from rhetoric to action by adequately financing skills development, modernising our infrastructure, and deepening industry partnerships.”
Key recommendations from the workshop include, allocating at least 5% of the national education budget to TVET, accelerating implementation of competency-based training and work-based learning, mainstreaming digital skills and expanding ICT infrastructure, promoting gender-responsive policies and equitable access, building structured partnerships with the private sector and upskilling instructors to deliver green and 4IR-relevant content.
Participants also called for harmonisation between formal and informal training providers and urged the government to create stronger frameworks for inter-agency coordination.
Eduwatch concluded by urging government, private sector actors, and development partners to act swiftly in adopting the recommendations to transform Ghana’s TVET sector into a resilient engine for economic growth and youth employment.