EDUCATION MINISTER ANNOUNCES TVET FUND TO PROPEL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND INDUSTRIAL TRANSFORMATION

The Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has announced the establishment of a Technical and Vocational Education Fund (TVET Fund) as part of an ambitious national agenda to reposition technical and vocational education at the heart of Ghana’s industrialisation drive. The initiative, modelled on best practices from Germany and other advanced economies, is set to provide a sustainable financial framework for the expansion and modernisation of technical and vocational training across the country.

Delivering his address at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly constituted Governing Board of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) on Friday, 25th April 2025, at the Ministry of Education Conference Room, Hon. Iddrisu reiterated the centrality of TVET to Ghana’s future competitiveness in the global economy.

“The establishment of this Fund is not merely a policy choice; it is a national imperative,” the Minister declared. “The Government of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama is determined to equip our youth with the competences necessary to drive Ghana’s industrial renaissance, create meaningful employment, and position Ghana as a leading hub of skilled labour on the continent,” he added, 

According to Hon. Iddrisu, the TVET Fund will serve as a dedicated financial vehicle to support critical interventions, including the development of modern infrastructure, acquisition of state-of-the-art training equipment, capacity building for instructors, and the design of industry-relevant curricula. In addition, the Fund will offer competitive grants and scholarships to students pursuing vocational and technical programmes, with special allocations for persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups.

The Minister revealed that an initial budgetary allocation has already been secured, with additional resources expected through private sector partnerships, international development agencies, and bilateral cooperation frameworks. Drawing inspiration from the celebrated German dual training model, which seamlessly blends theoretical instruction with practical industrial attachments, he assured that Ghana’s adaptation will be sensitive to local socio-economic realities while maintaining global standards of excellence.

“We must dismantle the stigma historically associated with vocational training and elevate TVET to a badge of honour,” Hon. Iddrisu affirmed. “The future of work is skills-driven, and Ghana must not be left behind.”

The announcement of the TVET Fund drew resounding applause from the newly inaugurated GTEC Board, who hailed it as a visionary intervention aligned with the nation’s broader development blueprint and international obligations under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

New GTEC Board Inaugurated
The swearing-in ceremony also marked the formal inauguration of the new Governing Board of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).

The Board is chaired by Professor Mahama Duwiejua, a highly respected academic and former Executive Secretary of the then National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE), now GTEC. 

The Board boasts a formidable assembly of distinguished personalities, namely: Mrs Mamle Andrews, Professor Ernest Kofi Davies, Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, Mr. Zakaria Sulemana, Dr Belinda Glover-Dake, Reverend Professor John Frank Eshun, Dr Isaac Nii Moi Thompson, Mr. Samuel Danquah Arhurst, Mrs Stella Otema Badu, Professor Fred Mc Bagoluri, and Dr Eric Kofi Adzroe.

Their collective expertise, spanning engineering, health economics, education policy, governance, and public sector management, augurs well for a transformative future for tertiary education governance in Ghana.

In his charge to the Board, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu called for a strategic repositioning of tertiary education, emphasising quality assurance, innovation, and responsiveness to the evolving needs of the economy.

“The Commission must lead with integrity, vision, and agility to ensure that Ghana’s tertiary institutions become beacons of excellence, driving national development and international competitiveness,” he urged.

Present at the ceremony were Mr. Joseph Mensah Oti-Asirifi, Executive Secretary of the Vice Chancellors of Technical Universities of Ghana (VCTU-G); Dr. Emmanuel Newman, Director, Tertiary Education, Ministry of Education; as well as a distinguished assembly of scholars, policymakers, and public officials.