The Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association (GNTDA) leadership has appealed for government to make them an integral part of its Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) programme.
This, according to the association, will ensure that students get hands-on practical skills to augment their classroom lessons, as members of GNTDA have over the years been giving these practical skills to tertiary and second cycle students after they complete their formal education.
According to Training Coordinator of the GNTDA-Ahodwo Zone, Emmanuel Danlogo, members have the capacity and are adequately prepared to wear that mantle to boost TVET in the country.
“We can also train students under governments TVET, because when they are done with their tertiary education they come to us for practical lessons. We have also upgraded our knowledge and educational standards, with most of us having National Vocation and Training Institute (NVTI) certification,” Mr. Danlogo told the B&FT on the sidelines of MTN Y’ello Care for GNTDA members and their apprentices at Ahodwo in the Ashanti Region.
Appeal for artisan village
Additionally, Mr. Danlogo revealed that members of GNTDA have acquired land to build a training school – and urged government and other stakeholders to help set up an artisan village in the region, just like the ‘wood village’ located at Sokoban in Kumasi which houses timber-traders.
Setting up an artisan village, he explained, would ensure all artisans are placed at one location; which would promote proper regulation of their activities.
“Our apprentices go through difficulties when they complete their training with us. They do struggle getting shops to set themselves up. I would urge that just as there is a wood village in this area, we plead with government to set up a place for artisans like us – so that we can be at one place. This would even help regulate our activities. And it would also prevent the spread of containers and kiosks in city centres and along commercial roads,” he said.
TVET
TVET is a form of education and training that provides knowledge and skills related to occupations in various sectors of economic and social life; through formal, non-formal and informal learning methods in both school-based and work-based learning contexts.
Over the years, the TVET sector has faced many challenges; but as a vital engine of the country’s industrialisation agenda, the Ministry of Education has shown renewed commitment to ensure citizens have the practical skills necessary for success.
