News
DR. KYEI ASAMOAH INTERACTS WITH INDUSTRY TO FORGE PARTNERSHIPS TOWARDS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
The establishment of sector skills bodies has been identified as an essential vehicle that brings together relevant private sector industries and industry professional bodies, relevant government institutions, and education and training institutions to explore and address the present and future workforce needs of industry.
The Director General of the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah, who announced this explained that one of the surest ways by which all stakeholders could tackle the skills mismatch challenges between what is needed in industry and what is being supplied by the training institutions was through the establishment of the sector skills bodies.”
He was emphatic that, “it is paramount for industry to be at the centre of skills development to provide the right environment for the creation of employment opportunities”.
Dr Asamoah announced this when he led some staff and management of the CTVET and a team from the sector skills bodies for construction and automotive to have direct engagements with some industry players in Accra in order to accelerate the process of making TVET in Ghana industry-led.
The visit took the team from the sector skills bodies for construction and automotive and the CTVET team to the Anointed Electrical Engineering Services, Lake Side Estates and the University of Ghana Toyota Training Centre in Accra.
Interacting with the management and staff of the institutions, Dr. Asamoah indicated that, as part of the mandate of the Commission, it facilitates collaboration between training institutions and industry to promote industry-led and demand-driven curriculum development and placement.
The commission also promotes workplace experience learning and the recognition of prior learning hence the need for these visits.
He stated that they were undertaking the visits to familiarize themselves with the work of the institutions with the aim of exploring possible avenues for collaboration and synergies especially in the light of the ongoing implementation of the Ghana Skills Development Fund (GSDF) which is being implemented by the Commission.
According to Dr. Asamoah, industry plays a critical role in the skills development of any country and this is why as part of the strategic plan for TVET, the Commission has established sector skills bodies.
The Commission has set aside the month of August as the industry engagement month and will continue with these engagements throughout the country until the end of this month.
![IMG_3309[1]](https://ctvet.gov.gh/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_33091-1024x683-1000x667.jpg "IMG_3309[1]")
GHANA SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FUND TAKES OF WITH OVER 105 TVET ENTERPRISES AWARDED OVER 100 MILLION GRANTS.
The Ministry of Education has awarded over 100 million Ghana Cedis worth of grants to 105 enterprises as part of the launch of the Ghana Skills Development Fund (GSDF).
Speaking at the event, Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah, the Director General of CTVET indicated that “this GSDF is part of the government’s overall strategy to industrialize Ghana has as its objective to Create jobs and competitiveness of the skilled workforce and raise the income-earning capacities of people, especially women and low-income groups, through the provision of quality-oriented, industry-focused, and competency-based training programmes and complementary services”.
Dr. Asamoah further indicated that “GSDF is a challenge fund mechanism which addresses the skills needs of enterprises operating in both the formal and informal sectors of the economy of Ghana”.
The Deputy Minister for Education Hon. Gifty Twum-Ampofo who was the keynote speaker also revealed that “the Government of Ghana is applying a portion of a loan of USD 200 million from the International Development Association of the World Bank, towards the implementation of the Ghana Skills Development Fund (GSDF) as one of the key components of the Ghana Jobs and Skills project”
She was emphatic that, the fund will help support the upgrading of the skills of employees within at least 700 enterprises and companies for productivity improvement and to enable employees to adopt emerging new technologies.” “We also hope that it will enable current employees to earn higher technical and vocational skills qualifications and incomes. And finally, lead to upgrading the skills of master crafts-persons and self-employed graduate apprentices”, she remarked.
Hon. Gifty further indicated that H.E. the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo in 2017 at the Centenary celebration of the Asuansi Technical Institute pledged and stated that “it was the goal of his government to make Ghana a world-class center for skills development, and a leading country in technical and vocational education training (TVET) delivery in Africa and also make skill acquisition aspirational for all Ghanaians”. She said, “in relation to this the NPP Government over the past 6 years has worked to improve on governance and management by establishing the Commission for TVET (CTVET) and the TVET Service through the passing of Act 1023 and Act 1049 respectively to enhance quality, expand access, and increase funding for TVET.”
Hon. Gifty went ahead to state that, “we are consolidating our gains in the past years by keeping to our promise. We are taking conscious steps to make Ghana a center of excellence in TVET in West Africa and to make Ghana globally competitive within the TVET ecosystem. This commitment is clearly shown in our quest to establish the Ghana Skills Development Fund launched today and to develop policies that will drive positive changes within the sector”.
The first cohort of beneficiaries received dummy cheques after successfully going through a thorough application and selection process and can start implementing their various concepts in earnest.
As part of the launch of the GSDF, it was revealed that the next call for applications will be start from 1st August to 31st August 2023 and all interested enterprises can visit the GSDF website to apply for any of the four windows available. This next call for applications will be preceded by an extensive sensitization and outreach programme in all 16 regions of Ghana to create awareness about the fund and how one can apply.
![IMG_3309[1]](https://ctvet.gov.gh/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_33091-scaled.jpg "IMG_3309[1]")
MESSAGE BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF CTVET, DR. FRED KYEI ASAMOAH, AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE 2023 CERTIFICATE II EXAMINATIONS AND OTHER EXAMINATIONS FOR TECHNICAL STUDENTS.
Our friends from the media.
I am delighted to have you here this morning for this brief encounter.
As part of the Commission’s mandate and functions, we organize examinations for students in the various technical and vocational schools. This engagement is done `every year to brief the media and the general public on plans for the examinations and other modalities.
However, this engagement has become even more important this year because we are introducing an innovation known as serialization in this year’s examination administration.
WHAT IS TEST SERIALIZATION?
Test serialization is simply the process of generating different versions of the same questions but with different positions of the test items, options and keys on the question papers of each candidate.
With Serialization, candidates in the same examination hall may receive the same questions but with different question numbers on each of the series.
The purpose of this exercise is to ensure the issues of cheating during examinations and leaking of examination questions are eliminated or minimized.
Key among the main characteristics are;
- a) Easy to test students with different versions of the same set of questions
- b) Allows the same test items to be administered at different examination centers
- c) Produces consistent & comparable scores
- d) Measures the same content and construct
- e) Encourages teachers and learners to do effective teaching and learning in schools
- f) Easy to administer using the same instructions, directions & duration
- g) Ensures fairness, test security, and integrity of certificates
- h) Reduces perennial leakages of examination papers at examination centers
- i) Discourages candidates from relying on “apor”, scammers and fake questions from the social media platforms
- j) Establishes validity of scores across all series of the test
- k) Makes possible to award the same certificate to all candidates
there are 10 key issues about Test Serialization that we would like students, training providers, and the public to know:
- a) Same test blueprint and Content are used.
- b) Same construct (skills & traits), format, and structure
- c) Same questions, with different versions at varied positions
- d) Same test items under the same thematic areas
- e) Same instructions, directions, and duration of the test
- f) Same alternatives (options) with varied positions
- g) Same keys (correct answers) with varied positions
- h) Same Marking schemes or Scoring guide for the series
- i) Same date and time for the administration of all series at all centers
- j) Same score, qualification, and certification are awarded
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO STUDENTS AND TRAINING PROVIDERS.
The test serialization is being rolled out effectively this year, especially as part of the 2023 May/June Certificate II Examinations. There would be Eight (8) series for each developed for each set of questions.
Finally, which Subjects are going to be serialized?
All the Core Subjects and selected Elective subjects of Certificate II examination papers.
KEY STATISTICS FOR THE 2023 EXAMINATIONS.
The following are some key statistics:
REVISING THE GRADING SYSTEM
We are also revising the grading system for the CERTIFICATE II Core and Elective Examinations. The objective of this is to ensure that we bring it on par with the grading system of other examination bodies like the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and also to ensure that technical students face very few challenges when progressing to study at the tertiary level.
The new grading system will look like this;
Terms of References
TERMS OF REFERENCE (GH-COTVET-314344-CS-CQS) CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEGISLATIVE INSTRUMENT FOR GHANA SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FUND (GSDF)
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR REFERENCE: GH-COTVET-358986-CS-QCBS CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPETENCY-BASED TRAINING PACKAGES FOR TWENTY-THREE (23) TRADE AREAS
MESSAGE BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF CTVET, DR. FRED KYEI ASAMOAH, AT THE PRESS LAUNCH OF THE WORLDSKILLS GHANA ZONAL SKILLS COMPETITION 2023.
Our friends from the media.
I am delighted to have you here as we kickstart the 2023 WorldSkills Ghana Zonal Skills Competition.
There exists evidence which connects the use of skills competitions in technical and vocational education (TVET) to improve outcomes for teaching and learning. Skills competitions provide a great opportunity for employer and industry involvement in competitions. It helps instructors, tutors, and trainers to further develop occupational and pedagogical expertise.
The introduction of skills competitions by CTVET as part of the MY TVET campaign is aimed at revitalizing technical and vocational education and training skills competitions among TVET institutions in the country.
Ghana is the 81st member and the first West African country to join World Skills International, a group of people and organisations that together advance the shared social objective of increasing the provision of skills. With this, we join other member countries in building the confidence of millions of young people and inspiring young competitors to turn their passions into professions.
WorldSkills is a movement of change. With its over 85-member countries and regions, it helps young people who want to change their lives and the fortunes of their communities, and societies.
As a player in the field of technical and vocational education and training, WorldSkills International is dedicated to the didactic concept of „learning in competition“, continuing education for trainers and HR managers, career orientation measures, and specialist topics such as the digitalization of vocational education and training and the working world of the future.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Zonal Skills competition will take place within two zones of the country. The Southern Zone will take place from 26th to 29th June 2023 whilst the Northern Zone will take place from 3rd to 6th July 2023.
In all, there would be 368 competitors from across the country competing during this year’s event. Out of this, 110 will be competing in the Northern Zone whilst the remaining 268 will compete in the Southern Zone.
The trade areas for the competition are: bricklaying, fashion technology, autobody repair, cooking, carpentry and joinery, hairdressing, welding, automobile technology, beauty therapy, graphic design, I.T. software solutions for business, mechatronics, mechanical engineering CAD and electrical installation.
The introduction of skills competitions is paramount because it has the potential to accelerate any country’s drive toward development. Skills competitions encourage creativity, competitiveness, and innovation and more importantly boost the image of a country on the international stage. It is also aimed at raising stakeholder awareness and courting industry support for TVET in Ghana. CTVET, together with other partners coordinate the overall competition and also prepares national winners for international skills competitions such as the WorldSkills Competition. This is to ensure that the youth are exposed to a variety of skill areas and technology.
This year’s competition is being supported by the EU Ghana Pact for Skills: Support to the Transformation of the TVET System being implemented by GIZ, World University Service of Ghana, under the INVEST Project, UNI-JAY Company Limited, and Prestige Institute Professionals.
Winners from the Zonal Skills Competition will progress to compete in the National Skills Competition which will be taking place in October this year. We are also taking steps to ensure that can compete in the WorldSkills International Competition which will take place next year in Lyon, France.
We would like to use this opportunity to invite all stakeholders and especially the media, to join us from tomorrow at the various competition venues.
We would also like to use this opportunity to appeal to Corporate Ghana to support this movement which is aimed at transforming technical and vocational education and training. The role of Corporate Ghana in achieving the aims and objectives of this Commission cannot be emphasized enough. Whatever we do is geared towards providing the skilled manpower required to work for the various sectors and industries. Thus, their support will be needed as we train these young people for the future world of work.
Together, we can support and expand TVET for young people in Ghana.
Let‘s start together now to make a lasting difference in the lives of these young people by supporting the WorldSkills Ghana Competitions.
To the competitors, I wish each of them, the best of luck. They should see this as an opportunity to upgrade their skills and learn from the best experts we have available.
Thank you all, and see you tomorrow at the competition venues.
