Continuing students at the Akuapem Technical Institute have applied their skills and knowledge in building construction technology to address basic infrastructure challenges within their community.

As part of activities marking the International Day for Education, the students painted school blocks, completed masonry work, and tackled other essential tasks in selected schools across the Akuapem South District of the Eastern Region.

17-year-old Patience Quartey stood out as the only girl among over a dozen male classmates working on the veranda wall of the JHS block at Agyemanteng M/A Basic School.

The event, held on January 24, 2024, celebrated this year’s theme: AI and Education: Challenges and Opportunities.

To empahsise the importance of inclusiveness in Ghana’s education system, the Ghana Education Service, in collaboration with development partners, tested the impact of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) program on education.

Patience and her classmates led the initiative at Agyemanteng M/A Basic School, equipped with tools and materials to renovate school facilities across the district. Despite the gender stereotypes associated with her chosen career, Patience is determined to excel.

“I’m excited even if they laugh at me because this is my job, and I chose to do it. So, I don’t feel sad or embarrassed,” she shared confidently.

Looking ahead, Patience expressed her ambitions. “I want to further my education and go into real estate development,” she added.

Eighteen-year-old Nicholas Yaw Danso, one of Patience’s classmates, highlighted the entrepreneurial skills he has gained during his two years of study.

"When you complete the TVET cycle, you’ll be self-employed and won’t have to rely on the government for a job,” he explained.

The event also saw participation from development partners in education, including UNICEF. UNICEF Ghana Country Representative, Osama Makkawi, reiterated the importance of modernizing the TVET program to align with 21st-century demands.

“TVET is the best way to reach vulnerable adolescents and young people and equip them with skills. But we must ask, are these programs scalable? Are they reaching everyone? Are they serving the most vulnerable? For the 21st century, we need to modernize TVET to meet market needs and fit the purpose,” Makkawi stressed.

Michael Ofori Kumi, Head of the Building Construction Technology Department at Akuapem Technical Institute, assured the Institute’s commitment to training students to meet industry standards.

“Through the training we provide, students learn the right way to do things. Some come in with knowledge from local masons, but in the formal setting, we help them perfect their skills to meet industry regulations,” he noted.

Other schools, including the Demonstration School for the Deaf, Ahwerase Presby Primary School and Anglican Primary School, also benefited from the TVET students’ services on this year’s International Day for Education.