Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is increasingly becoming an important pathway to employment and entrepreneurship in Ghana, with stakeholders calling for greater investment to make it the first choice for young people.
Eric Saforo is the Skills and Innovation Lead at YOTA (Youth Opportunity and Transformation in Africa), a Ghana-based non-profit organization focused on youth development, policy, and economic empowerment across Africa, has argued that the longstanding preference for traditional academic education over technical and vocational training must change, given the employment opportunities available through practical skills development.
Speaking in an interview at the National TVET Week celebration in Accra, Eric Saforo indicated that TVET was historically given less importance than conventional academic education, commonly associated with grammar schools. However, changing economic demands and the growing need for practical skills have highlighted the importance of technical and vocational training.
“Everything we see around us is TVET, and we see that there is progression,” he said, stressing that technical skills offer opportunities for both wage employment and self-employment.
He argued that TVET could help address youth unemployment by equipping young people with practical skills to secure jobs or establish their own businesses.
“TVET is the first choice for people to get in and be able to get jobs, either as self-entrepreneurs or as wage-employed,” he indicated.
Government urged to increase TVET investment
Asked whether the government was doing enough to give TVET the attention it requires, the stakeholder said efforts were underway to improve the sector’s attractiveness and increase investment.
He noted that TVET had suffered from negative public perceptions in the past, discouraging some parents and young people from considering it as a viable educational pathway.
However, the Ghana TVET Service is working with various stakeholders to change these perceptions and encourage greater participation in technical and vocational education.
He also pointed to plans for a dedicated TVET fund, which is expected to strengthen financing for the sector once established.
While welcoming the proposed fund, the stakeholder cautioned that government funding alone might not be sufficient to meet the needs of TVET institutions across the country.
He therefore called for other institutions and partners to contribute to financing technical and vocational education to improve training activities and strengthen the capacity of schools and institutions.
According to Eric Saforo, increased investment would help make TVET more attractive, improve training delivery and expand opportunities for young people to acquire practical skills.
The call comes amid broader discussions about aligning education with labour-market needs and creating sustainable employment opportunities for Ghana’s growing youth population.
He maintained that positioning TVET as a first-choice option would require sustained investment, stronger collaboration among stakeholders and a shift in public attitudes towards technical and vocational careers.