Open University to be established to improve skilled labour

Koforidua, May 24, GNA- Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister for Education, Science and Sports, announced that plans were far advanced for the establishment of an open University to improve upon skilled labour in Ghana. He said it was part of the Education Reform to strengthen technical and vocational education training (TVET) in Ghana. Prof. Fobih announced these at a ceremony at Koforidua on Friday to hand over 10 buses to technical and vocational institutions in the Eastern, Northern, Ashanti and Upper West Regions.

He said government was committed to revamping the TVET through out the country because the economy depended partly on such institutions and the Polytechnics

Prof Fobih advised the heads of beneficiary institutions use the buses to facilitate school activities and not for social activities such as funerals. Mr Kwadwo Afram-Asiedu, Eastern Regional Minister said products of technical and vocational training institutions stood a better chance of being self-employed than depending on government for jobs. Alhaji Alhassan Umar, principal of the Bawku Technical Institute, who spoke on behalf of the Association of Principals of Technical and Vocational Institutions, commended the authorities for the gesture and said it signified government's commitment to TVET and the Education Reforms.

The Beneficiary institutions included Abetifi, St. Joseph, Koforidua, Amankwakrom and St Paul's Technical Institutes in the Eastern Region and Krobea Asante Technical Vocational and Kumasi Technical Institute in Ashanti region. The rest were Dabokpa Technical and Vocational, Bawku and St Paul's Institute in the Northern and Upper West regions respectively. 24 May 08