The Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has paid a working visit to the Cape Coast Technical University (CCTU).

The Education Minister was accompanied by the Ag. Director General of Commission for Technical And Vocational Educational Training (CTVET) Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah.

The objective of the visit on June 16, was to inspect ongoing projects under the Ghana-China Project- "Rehabilitation and Upgrading of Equipment in Technical Universities and Technical Institutes project."

The project is being implemented to improve the employability of Ghanaian youth by providing them with the relevant skills and competencies required for self and formal employment.

This project will see the provision of state-of-the-art tools and equipment to 13 Technical Institutes and all the Technical Universities across the country; as well as the construction of a Technical Examinations Unit Block (TEUB) at the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED).

The current project at the Cape Coast Technical University, which is about 95% complete, includes a fully equipped automobile workshop, a civil engineering workshop, a mechanical engineering workshop, electrical and electronics workshop and a welding workshop.

The amazing aspect of this project is that all the tools and equipment being installed in these workshops are state-of-the-art industry-standard equipment which will ensure that students who graduate from these institutions have industry-ready skills.

According to the Honourable Minister for Education, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government considers education, especially Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), as the key to transforming Ghana and thus has prioritised these areas to make them the bedrock of Ghana’s industrialization agenda.

He also stated that, the university should identify and align specific industry partners for the various workshops.

Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah indicated that the Commission for TVET, as the regulatory agency for the TVET sector, will ensure that the institutions which are benefitting from the project, would follow the required occupational and industry standard in the delivery of TVET using the facilities.

Vice-Chancellor of CCTU, Prof. Joshua Danso Owusu-Sekyere, expressed gratitude to the government and Ministry of Education for giving new life and breathe to TVET through the effective implementation of this project and pledged that the university will put the workshops to good use.

The Chief Director of the Ministry of Education Mr Benjamin K. Gyasi and other officials of the Ministry were part of Dr Adutwum's entourage.

BACKGROUND

The government of Ghana is upgrading a number of Technical Universities and Technical Institutes by constructing workshops and supply/installation of equipment for the use of these institutions in the delivery of their mandate.

The project is designed to support Government’s efforts within the context of the Human Capital Development priorities and to resolve key a development challenge of low quality of skills produced by the Technical and Vocational Education and Training subsector in the country.

Parliament in March 2018, approved by resolution, the concessional loan agreement between the government of Ghana and the EXIM Bank of China for an amount of US$119 million to finance ‘The Rehabilitation and Upgrading of Equipment in Polytechnics and Technical Institutes’ (Including Technical Universities /Polytechnics) project.

Subsequently, Parliament in July 2018, approved by resolution, the supplementary contract agreement as well as the commercial contract between the government of Ghana and AVIC International Holding Corporation of China for the implementation of the project.