The Ghana TVET Service, in partnership with UK-based RANT Academy, has launched the School Enterprise Project in Kumasi as part of efforts to strengthen practical entrepreneurship training within Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

The initiative is designed to bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world enterprise by giving students hands-on experience in running small-scale businesses within their schools.

The pilot phase is currently being implemented in the Ashanti Region, with 25 out of 38 TVET institutions participating in the programme.

Speaking on the sidelines of the launch event, the Ashanti Regional Director of the Ghana TVET Service, Richard Addo-Gyamfi, said the project is timely as Ghana intensifies efforts to make TVET more attractive and aligned with industry needs.

He stressed that schools must evolve beyond traditional learning environments into centres of innovation and enterprise.

“We want to make the teaching and learning of entrepreneurship very practical. That is why the RANT School Enterprise Project is being rolled out as part of the programme,” he said.

He explained that participating institutions have been directed to establish student entrepreneurship clubs and develop school-based businesses tailored to their local environments and available opportunities.

“We’ve instructed schools offering entrepreneurship courses to set up businesses that align with their environment’s strengths, weaknesses, and findings from internal assessments. The goal is to help them identify viable business opportunities where students can also get involved,” he added.

Mr. Addo-Gyamfi further noted that TVET education in Ghana is gaining increasing public interest, with rising enrolment numbers recorded over the past five years.

He said some institutions are now facing capacity constraints due to the growing demand, describing it as a sign of changing perceptions about skills-based education.

“We are now in the 21st century, an era defined by skills, and this is where employment opportunities lie,” he said, adding that attitudes towards TVET are gradually shifting away from the notion that it is for less academically inclined students.

Founder and Programmes Director of RANT Academy, Lizzy Lambie, said Ghanaian youth possess a strong entrepreneurial spirit but urged a shift in mindset towards building sustainable local enterprises.

She expressed concern about the rising number of young people seeking opportunities abroad and encouraged students to focus on developing businesses locally.

“When we started this programme, the students’ first request was for us to take them to the UK to work after graduation,” she said. “But I told them that with the skills they have and the resources available in Ghana, they could achieve much more for themselves at home.”

She added that while many young people engage in small business activities, there is a need to scale them into structured enterprises capable of contributing to national and international markets.

RANT Academy also used the event to introduce the “Rant Passport” digital platform, designed to connect TVET students with potential employers.

The platform allows students to upload profiles, work experience, and video-based CVs showcasing practical projects, enabling employers to assess their competencies more effectively.

At the end of the event, outstanding students and facilitators involved in the entrepreneurship clubs were honoured with citations and plaques in recognition of their participation.

The organisers say the initiative is expected to strengthen practical skills training, reduce graduate unemployment, and promote youth-led enterprise development across the country.