The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Former President Mahama, has said his party is strategically prepared to implement the free SHS programme better.
Speaking at an engagement with Ghanaian professionals organized by Centre for Social Justice, Mr Mahama said: “I will make the free SHS programme better, and also expand and drive support for skills, technical and vocational training; God willing when I am elected as President on December 7.”
Mahama argued that the Free SHS double-track system has reduced the quality of education.
Mr Mahama noted that if elected, he will rather “drive support for skills, technical and vocational training.”
“My interest in TVET gained firm roots when I inspected an oil and gas project and was informed by the supervisor that they often bring in professional welders from abroad because Ghana did not have enough trained personnel to deliver according to specifications.
From that moment, I decided that we needed to rebrand TVET from the basic level to the Technical University so that our youth can be equipped with the needed skills, knowledge and qualifications and be well-positioned to take advantage of the numerous employment opportunities, or to employ themselves and others.
As I embark on my tour of the country, and in many communities, I observe that there are numerous unemployed young men, and also young women many of whom are teenagers with babies strapped on their backs, “he added.
Outlining some of the promises in the NDC’s people’s manifesto, Mahama said ” Our Manifesto straddles all such youth. When I see them, I know instantly that we made the right decision going to the people themselves to ask them what we can do to improve their lives because we have initiatives such as the National Apprenticeship Programme (NAP) that suits youth in this category.
With the free National Apprenticeship Programme the next NDC administration will institute, the government would engage and pay for the services of master craftsmen and women and artisans in the communities to equip and train the youth including the youth in Zongos in various traditional vocations such as dressmaking, catering and hairdressing. Upon completion of their training programme, government would give them the needed tools and equipment so that they can start their own businesses and earn a living for themselves.”
