Training providers participating in the Ghana Jobs and Skills Apprenticeship Programme (GJS-AP) have expressed fears of financial collapse following what they said were indications that the government could discontinue the World Bank-supported initiative.

This is despite millions of dollars in outstanding payments owed to institutions and service providers for work already undertaken.

The concerns emerged after representatives of training institutions from across the country attended a closed-door meeting with project managers and World Bank officials at the World Bank office in Accra last week.

According to several participants, the meeting ended without clear assurances on how outstanding financial obligations owed to training centres, facilitators, assessors, and other service providers would be settled if the project were officially discontinued.

"We were informed that the Ministry of Finance wants to close the project, but nobody could tell us who would take responsibility for the huge arrears owed to training centres," one training provider who attended the meeting disclosed.

"Some institutions have borrowed heavily to keep training activities running based on the expectation that the commitments made under the project would be honoured," the provider added.

Major Skills Development Initiative

The GJS-AP, which is being implemented by the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) with financial support from the World Bank, has since 2023 trained more than 21,000 young people in technical and vocational skills across the country.

The programme covers a wide range of trades and technical disciplines, including welding and fabrication, automobile engineering, electrical installation, garment making, plumbing, hospitality, cosmetology, furniture production and electronics engineering.

Participating institutions have made substantial investments in infrastructure, equipment and human resources after enrolling in the programme, relying on contractual commitments and assurances of continued funding.

Fear of Job Losses

Training providers warn that failure to honour outstanding payment obligations could force many institutions to scale down operations, lay off workers or shut down completely.

"We have instructors, internal verifiers, administrators and suppliers who all depend on this project," another provider stated.

"If government walks away from its obligations, the impact will spread far beyond the training centres themselves," the provider added.

The programme is widely regarded as one of Ghana's most successful youth employment and skills development interventions in recent years.

According to reports, more than 80 per cent of beneficiaries either secured employment or established their own businesses within six months of completing their training.

Training providers maintain that the initiative delivered more than apprenticeship opportunities by providing beneficiaries with nationally recognised qualifications under the National TVET Qualifications Framework.

Under the framework, trainees are able to progress from National Proficiency I (NP I) through National Certificate I (NC I) and National Certificate II (NC II), and subsequently advance to Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor of Technology programmes.

Anxiety Among Trainees

The possible discontinuation of the programme has generated anxiety not only among training institutions but also among thousands of young people currently enrolled in the programme or awaiting admission.

Sources close to the project indicate that sufficient funding remained available to support the training of an additional 20,000 beneficiaries before discussions about terminating the initiative emerged.

A closure could lead to serious economic and social consequences if the initiative is discontinued prematurely.

Training providers caution that terminating the initiative could trigger widespread job losses and economic disruption, particularly in regions with high concentrations of training centres such as Ashanti, Greater Accra and Volta.

"The effects will be devastating for local businesses that rely on the daily activities of trainees and facilitators," one institution head explained.

"This programme has become an economic ecosystem in many communities," the head added.

There are concerns that an abrupt shutdown could undermine significant public and private investments already made in skills development infrastructure and weaken confidence in future vocational education programmes.

Again, thousands of young people whose training pathways are interrupted could become vulnerable to unemployment, poverty, crime and unsafe migration.

Background

The GJS-AP traces its origins to the Ghana TVET Voucher Project introduced during the first administration of former President John Dramani Mahama in 2015.

Over the years, the initiative has evolved into one of the flagship programmes supporting Ghana's technical and vocational education reforms, while serving as a critical pathway for youth employment and entrepreneurship.

As uncertainty surrounding the programme deepens, training providers are demanding urgent clarification from both government and project authorities regarding the future of the initiative and the payment of outstanding obligations.

"We fulfilled our part of the agreement," one provider stressed. "Government must now honour its commitments."