President Nana Addo Akufo-Addo has cut the sod for the commencement of work on the upgrade and modernisation of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system in Ghana.   Cutting the sod on Thursday, December, 19 at the premises of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), at East Legon, President Akufo-Addo bemoaned the fact that the missing link in Ghana’s educational system has been our low capacity in skills development.   “We shall be able to transform Ghana’s economy and reduce unemployment, when we pay attention to technical and vocational training. That is where the skills needed for the growth of the modern economy can be developed. What I envisage in the technical and vocational education sector would involve a truly radical change in attitude on the part of all of us,” he said.   With lip-service having been paid to the TVET sector over the years, the President stressed that his Government, this time, is backing the talk with money and political will.   “We have to do everything we can to enhance our self-reliance and capacity to drive our industrial and economic transformation ourselves, and that is the project of Ghana Beyond Aid,” President Akufo-Addo said.   He continued, “That is why we are launching this major project to help emphasize the importance of TVET, and redeem the misconception that technical and vocational education is inferior, and patronized only by less endowed students”.   The Consortium of P.C. Education Africa Ventures and SUMEC Complete Equipment & Engineering Company Limited is undertaking the Contract for overall upgrading and modernisation of the vocational education System in Ghana.   The contract agreement between the consortium and Government of Ghana was executed on 5th July, 2018, and amounts to one hundred and thirty-one million, six hundred and fifty-seven thousand, one hundred and ninety-eight us dollars (US$131,657,198).   President Akufo-Addo told the gathering that the first component of the project comprises refurbishing the existing Infrastructure and construction of new infrastructure for the existing 34 NVTI centres; refurbishing the existing Infrastructure and construction of new Head office, 10 regional offices and 5 apprenticeship offices; procurement of equipment for 26 trades and ICT equipment for all 34 NVTI centres; competency based training to cover 700 trainers across 34 NVTIs; course curriculum alignment and content development for the 26 trades; project management: resources and manpower; and transport facilities, i.e. the provision of a 33-seater bus for each of the 34 NVTIs and 4x4 Pickups for the head office and regional offices.   The second component of the project, he added, comprises the setting up of 2 new training centres for foundry and machining workshops, with one at the CSIR centre in Accra, and the other at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.   He added that it will also include building and developing infrastructure for the 2 new vocational training centres; procurement of equipment, including training equipment for Foundry and ICT equipment; competency based training for the trainers in these centres; course curriculum alignment and content development; project management: resources and manpower; and transport facilities, i.e. the provision of a 33-seater bus.   The third and final component of this project, President Akufo-Addo indicated, comprises the upgrading of existing Opportunities Industrialisation Centres in Greater Accra.   “Government believes that this integrated approach will improve the quality of our TVET system across the entire educational system, and result in the empowering of our youth. We must work hard in ensuring that our youth do not see technical and vocational education as the last option, when considering their future,” he said.   Whilst urging the contractors to work hard and deliver the projects on time and on budget, the President was also expectant that tutors and instructors will impart knowledge to students through the modern equipment which are to be provided.   “And I am hopeful that our students will take advantage of the immense opportunities being made available to them to hone their skills in order to contribute more effectively to the creation of a confident, skilled population, in a soon-to-be prosperous society,” he added.