Stakeholders gathered at the National Forum on TVET Financing organised by the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) in collaboration with CitiFM and the National Network of Youth Groups, have called for government to adopt a TVET financing policy that will ensure sustainable financing of Ghana’s TVET reformation agenda.

The Deputy Minister of Education responsible for TVET, Hon Gifty Twum Ampofo, speaking at the event, announced that Government of Ghana has invested 1 billion dollars in the TVET sector in Ghana since 2017 with the support of development partners such as GIZ, China, DANIDA, EU, KFW among others. The Honourable Deputy Minister disclosed some of the projects that has been undertaken since 2017. They include refurbishment of the 34 NVTI schools, ongoing construction of 32 state of the art technical schools, Upgrading 17 Technical and Vocation Institutes, construction of 3 foundries and machinery centres among others.

The Director General of the Commission for TVET, Dr. Fred Asamoah also revealed that Government has made an initial deposit of USD60Million into the new Skills Development Fund (SDF). He called on industry to support the TVET sector stating that ‘Government cannot do it alone and reiterated that industry is critical for the reformation of the TVET sector.
Key stakeholders at the event, including representatives of GIZ, Plan Ghana, Technical and Vocational schools’ students and teachers, Tax Experts and CSOs in the TVET space concluded that in addition to all Government is currently doing, it is crucial to establish a TVET Financing policy to propel TVET financing from the Micro to the Macro level that will eventually transform the sector. Such a policy will also address issues of corporate financing, administration among others.

In a Panel discussion moderated by Bernard Avle, The Panelist were unanimous on the support industry and Private sector can provide the TVET sector especially through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). the Communication Service Tax (CST); Petroleum Revenues and leakages as revealed in the Auditor General’s Report also came up as major sources of consideration for the financing of TVET.
The Forum also acknowledged a direct relation between TVET, entrepreneurship and youth employment and urged government to pay strong attention to the TVET sector to address the acute youth unemployment situation in Ghana.
The Forum TVET was organized on the theme “Promoting Sustainable TVET Financing in Ghana for Youth Employment and National Development” with support from OXFAM in Ghana.