The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is prevailing on the government to prioritize investment in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to address Ghana’s youth unemployment challenge.

UNICEF Country Representative, Osama Makkawi, says investing in TVET is crucial in equipping young people with the necessary skills to compete in the job market and contribute to the country's economic growth.

He was speaking at the launch of the skills assessment project and capacity-building training for selected TVET facilitators in Kumasi.

The skills assessment project and capacity building training for facilitators is being implemented by the Ghana TVET service in partnership with UNICEF Ghana. The aim is to assess the skills of young people and provide them with training and certification.

The initiative is expected to enhance the capacity of TVET institutions to deliver high-quality training programs that meet the needs of the labor market.

UNICEF country representative, Osama Makkawi, expects Ghana to continue to invest in TVET to help scale up youth employment.

“56% of Ghana’s total population are people under 25 years old and I have been meeting with so many young people organization and the first challenge and demand is employment and finding decent jobs……so the best way to equip and reach out to these young people in a large number is to use the TVET network and scale them there” he said.

Twenty individuals were awarded certificates in the pilot project held at the Kumasi Technical Institute. 

Mr. Makkawi emphasized that investing in TVET is not only a moral imperative but a sound economic strategy. 

“The world around us and the labour market changes very fast and therefore everywhere we need to be adaptable….And I think the wise thing to do, is taking the TVET to the next level,” he added.

UNICEF commended the Ghanaian government’s efforts in the promotion of TVET and called for sustainability.

An educational specialist with UNICEF Ghana, Christopher Nkrumah, highlighted the need for the partnership. 

“The aftermath of this research will really help us to know the reason why TVET institutions are even set up at different location…..And how the set up of these institutions support our national development” he indicated.

The launch of the skills assessment project and capacity building training for facilitators is part of UNICEF's broader efforts to support the Ghanaian government in promoting TVET.