Competency-Based Training (CBT) in Ghana: Insights and Implications for TVET

In recent years, Ghana has embarked on a transformative journey to reform its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system. At the heart of this reform is the adoption of CBT, a learner-centred approach that emphasises the mastery of practical skills and workplace relevance over traditional rote learning.

A qualitative exploration of CBT’s rollout in Ghana reveals both encouraging success and significant challenges that shape the future of skills development in the country.

Understanding Competency-Based Training

CBT is designed to ensure that learners acquire not just theoretical knowledge, but the hands-on competencies demanded by industries. Unlike traditional education models, CBT breaks learning into occupational standards, units of competencies, and measurable outcomes. Students progress only when they demonstrate mastery of each skill, making the system highly responsive to the needs of employers.

In Ghana, the Commission for TVET (CTVET) and its partners have spearheaded efforts to align curricula with the National TVET Qualification Framework (NTVETQF), which provides a structured pathway from entry-level skills to advanced professional certifications. The alignment is crucial for improving employability, labour mobility and the recognition of Ghanaian qualifications both locally and internationally.

Positive impacts of CBT implementation

Qualitative findings suggest that CBT has begun to reshape the culture of teaching and learning within TVET institutions. Teachers and instructors now emphasise facilitation rather than one-way lecturing, encouraging active student participation. Learners are more engaged because their training is linked to real workplace scenarios, tools and assessment.

Employers, too, are reporting early benefits. The introduction of occupational standards has provided industries with clearer expectations of graduate competencies. For sectors such as construction, hospitality, and fashion, CBT graduates demonstrate greater readiness to adapt to workplace tasks compared to peers from traditional programmes.

Another success story lies in the collaboration between industry and TVET providers. The structured involvement of employers in curriculum design, assessment, and apprenticeship placement ensures that training remains relevant. This partnership not only strengthens confidence in the TVET system but also helps address Ghana’s unemployment challenge by equipping young people with market-driven skills.

Persistent Challenges

Despite its promise, CBT rollout in Ghana faces hurdles that require urgent attention. The recurring theme is inadequate resources. Many TVET institutions lack modern training equipment, workshops, and learning materials to deliver occupational standards effectively. Where such resources exist, they are often insufficient or poorly maintained.

Instructor capacity also poses difficulties. While CBT demands facilitators who can blend teaching expertise with industrial practice, many instructors require further training to adapt to the new approach. Professional development remains inconsistent, and without it, the quality of CBT delivery risks dilution.

Assessment practices under CBT, though more practical and outcome-based, have encountered logistical and financial challenges. Conducting workplace simulations, procuring assessment tools, and engaging industry experts require investment that institutions often cannot sustain.

Finally, there is the issue of perception. Some stakeholders remain sceptical about CBT, viewing it as donor-driven or as an overly complex system. Sustained advocacy, awareness-raising, and visible success stories are necessary to build public and institutional confidence.

Lessons and Opportunities

The Ghanaian experience with CBT underscores several lessons. First, reform in TVET must holistic: curriculum change without adequate investment in infrastructure, instructor development, and industry collaboration will produce uneven results. Secondly, partnerships remain the bedrock of sustainability. The more industries are involved in shaping and supporting CBT, the more likely it will respond to labour market demands.

Opportunities also abound. The growing interest in green skills, digitalization, and entrepreneurship provides fertile ground for embedding CBT in emerging sectors. Aligning Ghana’s CBT framework with continental and global labour mobility programmes, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and bilateral migration agreements, could open pathways for Ghanaian artisans and technicians to work abroad while contributing remittances to the economy.

Moving Forward

For Ghana to fully reap the benefits of CBT, a strategic focus is needed in four areas:

1. Investment in infrastructure and tools – Equipping institutions with modern workshops, laboratories, and digital platforms.

2. Instructor capacity building – Regular training, industry attachments, and certification for facilitators.

3. Industry partnerships – Deepening collaboration in curriculum design, apprenticeships, and assessment.

4. Public awareness and advocacy – Highlighting success stories to shift perceptions of TVET as a second-choice pathway.

Conclusion

Competency-Based Training represents more than a pedagogical shift; it is a bold reimagining of how Ghana prepares its workforce for the future. While the challenges are real, the potential rewards are far greater. By sustaining investments, strengthening partnerships, and keeping learners at the centre, Ghana can transform its TVET system into a powerful engine for national development and job creation.