Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET): The panacea to socio-economic development in the Builsa South District

The economic performance of Ghana has been impressive over the years. However, in recent times the country continues to battle with a high incidence of joblessness and job-seeking among the youth. The situation led to the formation of the Unemployed Graduate Association in 2011 to find solutions to the unemployment situation by actively engaging all stakeholders while advocating for the creation of employment opportunities for the youth.

According to the data from the 2010 Population and Housing Census, 14 percent of the country’s working-age population was inactive outside the school system while 633, 994 people, representing 5.8 percent of the labor force were unemployed. Unemployment is defined by the Organisation for Economic Corporation and Development (OECD) as people who report that they are without work, and are available for work and have further taken active steps to find work in the last four weeks.

To remedy the situation, the government has come to appreciate the role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in national development and is rolling out strategies to develop the practical talents of the young people to enable them to support economic growth and industrialization. It is now an accepted fact that the acquisition of employable skills is a key element in the fight against poverty and that, at the national level, a skilled workforce is an important driver of economic growth and a major pull factor for foreign direct investment.

The unemployment situation among the youth in the Builsa South District is not different from what pertains at the national level. The total population of persons aged 15 years and older by economic activity status is 21,671. The proportion of the economically active population aged 15 years and older is 72.4 percent as compared with 27.6 percent of economically not active. About five out of ten persons (45.8%) who are unemployed are seeking work for the first time and available to be employed.

Youth unemployment continues to remain a major concern of authorities at the district level. Despite the government’s interventions through the introduction of the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) and Youth Employment modules, the situation is still persistent. The youth often engaged in menial jobs which makes it difficult for them to meet their basic needs let alone support their families. Most of them who are economically active and seeking work lack the relevant technical skills that employers want and to enable them to engage in any meaningful craft to improve their standard of living.

Without employment-related skills, school leavers cannot benefit from even the basic employment opportunities that may be available to job seekers. According to the district-specific report of the 2010 Population and Housing Census, the situation requires urgent attention to reduce the number of unemployed persons in the district.

The report specifically recommended the need for government to expand modern technical and vocational education with practical apprenticeship programs which involve employers to improve the levels of skills of their employees.

It further proposed a collaboration between the private sector and the Business Advisory Center (BAC) of the District Assembly to expand and equip the youth with employable skills.

Young people without the requisite skills to secure them jobs or give them hope for a better future often live a daily life of frustration. Such frustration coupled with desperation and loss of self-confidence may push some of them to resort to social vices such as armed robbery, prostitution, money ritual, and political unrest.

Others, as we have witnessed in recent times, may embark on a death-defying journey of illegal migration across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. The worse situation is the possibility of unemployed youth becoming victims of religious and political manipulation and be used as instruments of violence or combatants in armed conflicts.

Youth unemployment, therefore, poses a threat to political stability, national security, and social cohesion. Supporting the youth to acquire job-related skills is therefore a key to addressing development issues and must engage the attention of development authorities.

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has proven to be the most practical avenue for acquiring readily employable skills for the world of work.

The Builsa South District needs skilled workers. Specifically, competent technicians and associate professionals are needed to fill skills gaps in various sectors of the district economy, including the building and construction industry, Information and communication, Water supply; sewerage waste management activities.

Adequately trained workers are also in short supply in the area of an agro-processing sector. Also, the district needs highly skilled technical personnel to drive its developmental agenda. Well-functioning TVET systems are best placed to train the skilled workforce required to address the socio-economic development challenges confronting the district.

The role of the private sector and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the provision of TVET cannot be overemphasized. The private sector and NGOs are required to complement the government’s effort in establishing TVET institutions to train the youth and equip them with the relevant skills needed to fill the skills gaps in the national economy.

In the same vein, their support is essential at the district level through a collaborative effort with the District Assembly to establish such institutions to equip the youth with skills that will make them relevant in the marketplace. This will also position them to contribute meaningfully to the developmental needs of the district.

Investing in the provision of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is investing in the socio-economic development of the nation.

TVET will facilitate technological progression which will serve as a catalyst for rapid industrialization, wealth creation and eventually lead to poverty reduction.

In this regard, there is an urgent need for government and the Builsa South District Assembly to collaborate with the private sector and NGOs to establish a TVET institution at the district level to provide the requisite training and skill set for the socio-economic development of the area.

Finally, the government should encourage the domestic production and consumption of goods and services where the skills acquired could meaningfully be harnessed and utilized.