The Administrator of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), Mr. Paul Adjei, has called for a change in the perception that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is a second-choice option for students who are unable to pursue other educational pathways.
According to him, TVET plays a critical role in Ghana’s economic development by equipping young people with practical skills needed in various sectors of the economy.
Mr. Adjei said society must recognise the importance of people who acquire technical and vocational skills, noting that they include professionals who wire homes and hospitals, maintain machinery in factories, repair equipment and work on roads.
“These are people whose work is essential to the development of the country,” he said, stressing that technical and vocational education should be given the recognition and support it deserves.
He made the remarks during the 35th anniversary celebration of the Ejisu Senior High Technical School (ESHTS), where he outlined a number of initiatives being undertaken by the government through GETFund to support educational institutions across the country.
GETFund to provide buses to SHSs
Mr. Adjei announced that GETFund was in the process of procuring 266-seater buses for Senior High Schools across the country.
He assured the management of Ejisu Senior High Technical School that once the buses were delivered, the school would receive one.
He explained that reliable transportation was essential to the effective running of schools, particularly for academic programmes, sporting activities, educational excursions and other important school activities.
Two million desks and chairs
The GETFund Administrator also disclosed that, following instructions from President John Dramani Mahama, the Fund was procuring two million mono desks and chairs for educational institutions across the country.
He assured the Ejisu Senior High Technical School community that the school would also benefit from the furniture distribution.
Mr. Adjei further announced that GETFund was awarding about 8,000 local scholarships to students in tertiary institutions, in addition to 400 foreign scholarships.
Borehole and accommodation support
He said GETFund was also in the process of constructing boreholes in selected schools across the country, with Ejisu Senior High Technical School set to benefit from the initiative.
He further assured the school of support as it returned to the single-track system, explaining that GETFund would provide mattresses and beds to needy schools this year.
Mr. Adjei also pledged that GETFund would work towards completing some of the Fund’s uncompleted projects at the school.
Teachers to receive AI training
In another development, Mr. Adjei disclosed that GETFund had signed an agreement with UNESCO to train teachers in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
He assured the school that teachers of Ejisu Senior High Technical School would be included in the training programme.
He said equipping teachers with knowledge in emerging technologies was important to ensure that the education system kept pace with global developments.
Call for stakeholder support
Mr. Adjei urged parents to take their children’s education seriously and provide them with the necessary support to enable them to succeed.
He also appealed to old students, parents and other stakeholders to contribute to the development of Ejisu Senior High Technical School.
He encouraged the students to work hard, remain focused and take their studies seriously, saying they could not predict where their educational journey would eventually take them.
He reminded them that with determination, discipline and hard work, they could develop their talents and acquire the skills needed to make meaningful contributions to Ghana’s development.
The GETFund Administrator reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting technical and vocational education and ensuring that schools receive the infrastructure, equipment and other resources required to provide quality education.
