Design and Technology Institute (DTI) in collaboration with Mastercard Foundation, has organized a training workshop for facilitators on the implementation of Precision Quality (PQ) curriculum
The one-week long Training of Trainers (ToT) Programme was aimed at equipping about 13 lecturers and trainers from some selected institution with the relevant tools and parameters within which the curriculum will be implemented.
The PQ curriculum was designed and developed by DTI in partnership with Ghana Standards Board and industry experts and has been accredited by the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education Training (COTVET).
The main objective of PQ is to teach artisans to understand what precision quality standard should look like in the process of production or developing a project as a means of breaching the gap between academics and industry.
Chief Executive Officer, DTI, Constance Elizabeth Swaniker, indicated that in an attempt to imbed PQ into the curriculum of technical universities, it was realized that there is a mindset problem where artisans do not understand what PQ standard should look like and so, they do anything anyhow and expect consumers to accept it but this attitude must change if we want to compete in the global world.
“We are competing in a global market where PQ standard means a lot, therefore the country needs to push its industrialization agenda and anybody who goes into manufacturing or production sector must understand what the standards look like,” she said.
She added that under the current arrangement with Mastercard Foundation, about 5,000 master craftsmen, 5,000 students from technical universities and 1,000 Small Scale Enterprises (SMEs) will be trained but DTI is interest in the multiply effect that would be realized ones PQ standards are embraced in the country.
“So, in general we are looking at the ripple effect of creating 40,000 direct and indirect jobs as a result of these people embracing PQ standards in their craftsmanship,” she emphasized.
At the tertiary education level, currently, Ho Technical University is ready for the implementation of the curriculum, to be followed by Takoradi Technical University and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
At the technical university level, the PQ curriculum will through the competency-based learning TVET programme, equip young people with industry demand skills.
Owu-Ewie Ebenezer, class captain for the first cohort, speaking to the media at the end of the training indicated that, PQ consist of five main modules namely; change to grow, process integration, people and team development, health and safety in the workplace, and managing quality and consumer relations.
These models, he indicated, were explained comprehensively to enable them carry the lessons as experts and teach others in their respective fields.
“The training Programme has made us understand that there is so much wastage in the system, our products are not able to go international because of certain conditions, part of it being finishing and packaging which the PQ module also address
Normally, all that artisans are interested in is that we done with the production and the product is developed, that ends it. How to meet international standards is not of concern so PQ has given us the skill to impact into this people as to the need to pay much attention to how the product will be accepted even in the international market,” he said.
