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Work begins on ultra modern TVET Institute for La community

 A ground breaking ceremony for the construction of an ultra-modern Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) institute for the Machinery Mechanic Training Institute (MMTI) at La was held last Friday in Accra.

The facility, being constructed by a local firm is to be completed in two years with funds from the government of Ghana.

Breaking the grounds for the commencement of the project, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA), Rev. Solomon Kotey Nikoi, stated that the work would go through two phases with 12 months intervals between each phase.

Rev. Nikoi said stated that the assembly was among the first batch of beneficiary communities of such an intervention and was very appreciative to the government for the assistance.

“I’m very grateful to the government and I have no doubt that upon completion of the project and with the installation of its wide range of ultra-modern tools and equipment, the name of the institution would travel far due to impressive performance that trainees would put up,” he said.

According him, the facility would help the youth in La to acquire job-related skills which would help them meet the employer’s specification for employment and also help curb the rate of unemployment among the youth.

To mitigate some of the challenges of the youth in La, the MCE said the assembly was in talks with the Traditional Council and the authorities of the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) to admit some of the youth idling about into the institute to acquire gainful skills to be independent in future.

Mr Emmanuel K Ashie, CMMTI, said the facility, when completed, would attract more female students due to the trade- demand driven programmes the institute would be running.

“We would be offering trade demand programmes such as catering, dress making, hairdressing among others which are mostly for the female to venture in,” Mr Ashie stated.

Already the institute is operating on a ‘slash down fee policy’ for female students who enrol in the institute.

According to the manager, the institute which is 45 years in existence had about 150 student mostly males, due to lack of interest by females in the community.

He said after completion and dedication, it would be the biggest and only TVET institute in La which would be offering trade demand programmes like automobile, tiling, aluminium filter glass, Information Communication Technology, masonry, carpentry among others.

The Executive Director of NVTI, Mrs Mawusi N. Awity, appealed to the MCE to use the common fund to offset the fees of the training and also assist the trainees with a start up capital after completion of their training.

Mrs Awity called on a holistic approach towards TVET since it could be the main engine through which the Ghana beyond aid could be achieved.

She called on parents to allow their children to enroll in TVET programmes that would give the independence to anyone, especially the youth no matter their educational background.

” It’s never true that NVTI schools are for the unintelligent people in the society but rather a field which gives anyone the freedom to chose what you want to embark on in life,” she said.

Madam Juliana Nkrumah, NVTI Controller of Apprenticeship, said the project when completed would house a new classroom block, hostel for male and female, administration block, laboratory and workshop places for all programmes and state of the art tools and equipment.

Madam Nkrumah said the facility would be a great resource centre for capacity development for artisans and master crafts persons in the municipality and beyond.

BY VICTOR A. BUXTON

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