DANISH GOVT GIVES US%1.2M TO TRAIN CRAFTPERSONS (DAILY GRAPHIC)

Government through the Danish Embassy has sourced US$1.2m to embark on training programmes for over 1000 master craftpersons in four trade areas from 40 districts across the country.
The areas include the garment making, electronics, automative and cosmetology.
This is in line with government's recognition of the responsibility of master craft persons to deliver quality training which reflects skills and competencies demonstrated by apprentices after undergoing training in various vocations.
This was made known at the 7th graduation ceremony of 339 hairdressers and beauticiations of the Ghana Hairdressers and Beauticians Association from the Greater Accra Region under the theme "Emphasising the importance of Education in the hair and beauty industy".
The Executive Director of the council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET), Mr Dan Baffour-Awuah, explained that the training programme would involve the recruitment of 200 craftsmen who would undergo Competency-Based Training by February 2011.
He said in view of this, the Danish Government had granted US$30m towards the Skills Development Fund (SDF), adding that, the programme would entice the youth into business and industrt through creativity and optimism which would culminate into self-employment, industrial development and the socio-economic growth of the country.
The fund would provide for opening up of equal public and private provider s access to public training funds on a competitive basis; a commitment to greater cost-sharing through private sector and learner contributions to the cost of training, and the establishment of Ghana national quality assurance mechanisms to improve the quality of delivery and the confidence of beneficiaries in the training and skills they acquired.
Mr Baffour-Awuah however, acknowledged the short coming of the informal skills development sector saying that there was no system for credit transfer nor linkage between apprenticeships and national qualifications which was being done in some countries.
He therefore noted that the government was presently working developping a National QUalificatioins Framework to ensure the coherence of all national qualifications within the skills development and apprenticeship system, adding that, "it indicates the interrelationships of the qualifications and how one can progress from one level to another and across vocational and academic fields".
Mr Baffour-Awuah disclosed that a Policy on Recognition of Prior Learning would soon be operational to recognise, validate and assess skills and competencies acquired in the informal sector for certification.
He explained that the process would be used to acknowledge through evaluation, individuals who had acquired skills and knowledge through training, work or life experience by granting them credit in a unit standard.
He advised the general public to clear their minds of the notion that technical and vocational training was meant for "drop outs" which had led to the situation where society did not put much premium on technical and vocation training.
The Acting Deputy General Secretary of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), Brother Morgan Ayawine, commended GHABA for its training programmes within the industry and discouraged the practice of operating a saloon without any proper training since it could have serious repercussioins on the health of ignorant clients.
He therefore called on the leadership of GHABA to educate the public on the importance of patronizing saloons of professionals where their safety was guaranteed.
Brother Ayawine also tasked the leadership of GHABA to ensure regular retraining for the operatives to be abreast with the changing trend in the world of work.
The Regional President of GHABA, Mrs Christiana Okine prayed for the support of business associations by the state in order to build public-private partnership to accelerate and sustain development in the country.
She also emphasised the role education played in producing and developing one's character and mental strength for the growth of society, adding that "educating our trainees and selves will also hepl protect us against chemical s that are hazardous to our health".
The association which was formed in 1972 was aimed at bringing together persons in the hair and beauty industry to ensure standardisation of all aspects of the profession to conform to international standards and ethics

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