Proprietors urged to prioritize technical, vocational education in Ghana

Ghana : Madam Patricia Ayiko, the Upper West Regional Director of Education, has called on proprietors to prioritize technical and vocational training to support government’s efforts at improving technical education in the country.

She said improving technical and vocational training was a major priority of the Government as a means of fighting youth unemployment and its accompanying threats of social vices and illegal migration of the youth.

Madam Ayiko made the call during the Fifth Quadrennial Regional Delegate’s Conference of the Upper West Regional branch of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) in Wa, which, among other things, was to elect executives to steer the affairs of the Association.

The conference, on the theme: “Transforming Societies through Education: The Role of Stakeholders in Achieving Sustainable Development Goal Four (SDG4) in the Upper West Region,” brought together traditional leaders, district directors of education and teachers, among others, to brainstorm on how to enhance technical education in the Region.

Madam Ayiko noted that early childhood education was an integral part of the development of an individual and that “more teachers must pursue courses in early childhood education so as to improve upon the pupil teacher ratio at the kindergarten level”. She said teachers must be committed and improve on their working relationship with their authorities, students, families, and the society as a whole to achieve the SDG4.

Madam Ayiko acknowledged GNAT as an astute and enviable partner in educational development not only in the country but also at the global level.

Ms Philippa Larsen, the Acting National President of GNAT, entreated the delegates to evaluate activities, programmes and projects that would lead to the recruitment and retention of members and sustainability of the Association.

She commended members for their contribution to the growth of the Association and urged them to “craft strategies, innovations, systems and processes to help catapult this Association onto the higher level that we all desire to see.”

The Association donated GH¢3,300.00 to 11 female students from 11 senior high schools in the Region as part of its efforts to support brilliant but needy students, especially girls, to be able to access education to achieve the SDG4 in the Region and Ghana at large.

The beneficiaries commended GNAT for the kind gesture and gave it the assurance that they would work hard to maximize the support to make GNAT and Ghana proud.

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