According to Dr. George Afeti, an expert and consultant in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), effective teaching in this field requires instructors with relevant professional and workplace experience. As a skill-based form of education, teachers should be industry practitioners capable of applying their skills in practical settings, providing students with real-world knowledge. Dr. Afeti emphasized that possessing technical qualifications and pedagogical skills alone is insufficient for TVET educators; there is a crucial need for an adequate number of instructors who are both teachers and practitioners.
Event
During a lecture on the theme “TVET: Challenges and Opportunities,” Dr. George Afeti, a former principal of Ho Polytechnic (now Ho Technical University) and ex-Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa (CAPA), highlighted the importance of having instructors with relevant industry experience in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). The lecture, jointly organized by the Electrical/Electronic/Technical Division and the Mech/Agric/Marine Technical Division of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE), addressed the need for incentivizing the tutoring of TVET to attract skilled professionals and improve the sector’s teacher quality.
Dr. Afeti pointed out several factors adversely affecting the TVET sector, including low industry investment and involvement, outdated curricula, obsolete training and academic facilities, insufficient STEM education at the basic level, weak skills assessment, and inadequate information and statistics. To overcome these challenges, he emphasized that revitalizing TVET should go beyond expanding physical infrastructure. It should also include investment in digital infrastructure and affordable internet in TVET schools, quality assurance, teacher capacity building, readiness for the new paradigm, and strong industry engagement, considering the demands of the fourth industrial revolution and beyond.
Furthermore, Dr. Afeti urged the government to create a conducive policy and fiscal environment that encourages the establishment, growth, and expansion of local industries and manufacturing firms. He explained that when enterprises grow and expand, opportunities for demand-driven skills training increase at all levels, employment prospects for TVET graduates improve, and the social demand for TVET enhances. With his extensive experience as a practicing mechanical engineer spanning over 30 years, Dr. Afeti presented valuable insights on how to enhance TVET in Ghana.
Significance
Ato Roberts, the Chair of the Electrical/Electronic Technical Division of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE), emphasized the diverse membership of GhIE, which includes artisans, technicians, technologists, and engineers. He stated that the lecture on TVET was essential to foster a strong foundation for the practice. Roberts expressed the belief that by strengthening TVET, engineers would have numerous opportunities to acquire valuable skills that would enhance their professional practice.
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