Ghana’s Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, presented his country’s ongoing reforms in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) during the 2025 TVET Pitso Forum held this week in Gaborone, Botswana. The forum, hosted by Botswana’s Human Resource Development Council at Ba Isago University, brought together education officials, policymakers, and regional experts to discuss skills development and youth employment across Africa.
In his remarks, Mr. Iddrisu outlined several reforms Ghana has implemented in recent years to improve access to technical training and address unemployment, particularly among young people. These include the creation of three new technical universities focused on Digital Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, and Applied Healthcare Sciences. The institutions offer a range of programs from short-term certificates to Bachelor of Technology degrees.
The Minister also pointed to the enactment of two key legislative instruments: the Education Regulatory Bodies Act (2020), which led to the formation of the Commission for TVET (CTVET), and the Pre-Tertiary Education Act (2020), which established the Ghana TVET Service to manage public pre-tertiary TVET institutions.
According to Mr. Iddrisu, these reforms have contributed to a significant increase in enrolment in TVET programs, from around 42,000 students in 2018 to over 235,000 in 2024. He attributed this rise in part to efforts to shift public perception of vocational training and align curriculum more closely with labor market demands through industry-led sector bodies.
While the figures show growth, analysts say it remains unclear whether the increased enrolment is matched by improved employment outcomes for graduates. Ghana, like many African countries, faces challenges in bridging the gap between education and job creation, particularly in the informal sector where many young people still find themselves after graduation.
Mr. Iddrisu acknowledged some of these regional challenges, including underfunding, negative stereotypes about vocational training, and limited employer engagement in curriculum development. He argued that technical education should not be viewed as a fallback option but as a viable pathway to employment and national development.
“TVET is no longer a path reserved for the less academically inclined,” he said during the session. “It is central to our industrialization and job creation agenda.”
Participants at the forum also discussed the need for greater collaboration among African countries on TVET policy, financing, and implementation. The Minister urged support for Botswana’s own TVET strategy and called for more gender-inclusive efforts to attract women and girls to technical fields.
The forum’s opening was presided over by Botswana President Duma Gideon Boko, who reiterated his government’s commitment to skills development and regional cooperation.
