Training programmes for school drop-outs

Accra, July 4, GNA - The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports policy of building Youth Leadership, Vocational and Skill Training Institutes (YLVSTI) in each region to cater for school drop-outs to acquire employable skills is on course.

So far seven YLVSTI, under the National Youth Council have been established in Sandema (Upper East), Isa (Upper West), Fawohoyeden (Brong Ahafo), Asankare (Ashanti), Takrowase (Eastern), Avenorpeme (Volta) and Afienya (Greater Accra). This was disclosed by Alhaji Rashid Bawa, Deputy Minister of Education, Youth and Sports in Parliament on Friday in an answer to a question by Dr. William Akoto on behalf of Mr Seth Dankwa Wiafe NPP Akwapim South on what steps his ministry is taking to train drop-outs in the Akwapim South District.

Alhaji Bawa said the institutes turn out about 1,200 youth every year in various technical and vocational programmes such as carpentry and joinery, electrical installation, dressmaking, building and construction, computer training, catering and others. He said for the Akwapim South District the Takrowase Institute near Kade offers opportunities for the youth in the district to enrol there to acquire employable skills. The Minister said the establishment of the institutes in Nalerigu (Northern), Ajumako Afranse (Central) and Wasa Akropong (Western) have been initiated with that of Nalerigu having reached an advanced stage.

Alhaji Bawa said ten billion cedis out of the 50 billion cedis that Government approved for the establishment of the National Youth Fund is now available for use and that the National Youth Council has accordingly been instructed to work the detail framework for disbursing the facility. "This will essentially be used to train unskilled youth and also extend credit facilities to them to enable them to establish their own businesses and it is expected that the Akwapim South district will benefit from the fund." The Minister said the nature of the issues concerning school drop-outs could not be handled by his ministry per se and that there was the need for strong collaboration between the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and other development partners to help train and nurture the youth to become responsible adults.