The Ministry of Education has signalled plans to roll out modern composite boatbuilding instruction across additional technical and vocational institutes, aiming to better align youth skills with current labour market demands.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony for the inaugural Training of Trainers (ToT) cohort at ProZero Ghana Ltd in the Sekondi Fishing Harbour, Takoradi, Deputy Education Minister Dr Clement Abas Apaak stated that the subsequent phases would scale up in line with institutional capacity and industry needs.
“Building on this first cohort, government will work with CTVET, industry and our development partners to grow this programme responsibly: training more instructors, extending boatbuilding training to more learners, and, where demand and capacity justify it, expanding to additional institutions,” Dr Apaak told attendees.
The initiative is steered through a partnership involving ProZero Ghana, the Ghana Employers’ Association, the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), and the Confederation of Danish Industry, with backing from the Danish government. The initial phase saw instructors from technical schools in Tema and Takoradi undergo rigorous theoretical and practical workshops.
Dr Apaak emphasised that bridging the gap between academia and commerce remains vital to tackling graduate unemployment.
“Industry and education must keep talking to each other closely, so that graduates are ready for the jobs that actually exist, not the ones that existed a decade ago,” he noted.
Urging continued international cooperation, the Deputy Minister called on Danish authorities and the Confederation of Danish Industry to sustain their support via ongoing technical assistance, curriculum enhancement, machinery supply, and professional exchanges. He confirmed that the administration stands prepared to collaborate with local and international stakeholders on the second phase of the project.
By targeting educators first, the Ministry hopes to multiply the scheme’s impact, laying the groundwork for a globally competitive domestic boatbuilding sector.
“We are building skills. We are creating opportunity. And one cohort at a time, we are shaping a stronger Ghana,” Dr Apaak concluded.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
