The Community Development Vocational Technical Institute, CDVTI over the weekend held its annual graduation ceremony at the school’s premise in the eastern region.

Based on the theme, “Vocational technical skills, the theme for national growth, the Kpong-based technical-vocational institute, graduated 60 students who had received a four year adequate training in various courses in technical and vocational skills including cookery, plumbing, general electrical, fashion and design, building and construction, auto vehicle mechanic and carpentry.

Acting Director of the school, Mrs Faustina Esiandor Adu who underscored the importance of the Department of Community Development observed the employability virtues of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training, TVET to provide relevant skills to students.

“TVET, as compared to the grammar schools, provides employable skills that are readily needed in the job market”, said Mrs Adu. “Graduates from TVET providers such as ours do not have to wait on the government for employment”.

The Acting Director who cited the development of various countries to buttress the crucial role technical vocational education plays in national development said such countries have developed rapidly through skills development.

As part of efforts to provide alternative sources of livelihood to persons involved in illegal mining through the alternative livelihood training, Mrs. Adu said the Department Of Community Development is leading the process of skills training in the vocational and trades as well as agriculture, hoping that the programme is extended to the Kpong centre in the near future.

The director while congratulating the graduands on the occasion urged them to apply their acquired skills to make a living including through the government facilitated business development services.

The principal of the school, Mrs Felicia Mamaa Botchway who recounted the situation in the school in 2007 when she took over was proud that her community-based enrolment drive has boosted the school’s student population from 8 students and 6 teachers to the current population of over 360 students and 30 teachers.

The school offers several technical, vocational courses including IT, plumbing, general electrical, building and construction, auto vehicle mechanic, cosmetology and carpentry with authorities considering the introduction of welding soon.

Other core subjects taught include mathematics, English, integrated science and social studies, entrepreneurship and home management with students registering for both NAPTEX and NVTI examinations.

Despite these achievements, infrastructural challenges continue to remain the bane of the school.

The principal regretted that though the population could have been in the thousands, acute infrastructural challenges have hampered the school’s student intake.

“This school’s population should have been in the thousands by now if we had the needed infrastructure to support it”, said Mrs. Botchway. “Even though interest in the school’s programs is massive, we have to turn down many applicants because of this challenge”.

The classrooms are overstretched and there are no spaces in the rooms to facilitate movement when teaching, said the Principal, adding that trainees have outnumbered furniture of the school and many programs such as plumbing, general electrical, auto vehicle mechanic and carpentry do not have well-built practical rooms for active learning.

With students facing acute accommodation challenges, Mrs. Botchway has no option but to house some of the female students in her bungalow while the majority of the students remain adversely affected, a situation the Principal is calling on government, benevolent organizations and kindhearted individuals to offer the needed support to help address if the dreams of seeing the community development vocational-technical institute of becoming a model school must be achieved.

Mrs. Botchway in an interview with MediaforTVET’s Michael Oberteye expressed her profound gratitude to past and present Directors of the school including the current Director, Mrs. Faustina Esiandor Adu and past Directors, Mr. Kwaku Tandoh and Paul Avorkah.

Also of mention for appreciation was past and present governments, the Member of Parliament for the area, the Municipal Chief Executive, Nene Tetteh Zogli, Divisional Chief for Piengua Traditional Area, Nene Kwasi Detse I, Development Chief of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area as well as students, staff and the leadership of the school for their immense support towards the development of the school.

Queen-mother of Kpong, Many Maku II who was also at the ceremony recalled the harsh circumstances the facility was forced to endure during its early years including soliciting for assistance from churches to sustain its operations.
She also expressed her profound appreciation to the Principal, Mrs. Felicia Mamaa Botchway, the Board of Directors and past and present governments, for their relentless efforts towards the development of the CDVTI and expressed her confidence in the further growth of the school.

Chairman of the occasion and Divisional Chief of Piegnua, Nene Tetteh Zogli III congratulated the graduands and wished them the best in their various fields of endeavour. The chief also urged the 60 graduands to fuse their creative skills with hard work as they climb up in life.

He however advised the students to put their acquired skills to self-employment use and not to wait on anybody to employ them.

“Don’t wait to say I want to be employed by Mr. A or B. it is not so difficult to start a business. You can start very small”, he said.

On her part, Lawyer and Vice President of the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY), Benedicta Last Koryo who also addressed the graduands observed that acquiring education alone is not enough but what one makes of it. Despite the challenges inherent, however, the astute lawyer charged the graduands to persevere regardless of the difficulties.

She also urged the continuing students to be agents of change, adding that education must form the basis for which they must go back to their various communities to serve as change agents.

Lawyer Koryo reminded the students of education being a “once in a lifetime opportunity” and challenged them to see their courses as what will define their future which must be their primary goal.

There was also an exhibition session which showcased the IT department, cosmetology, fashion and design, soap making, general electrical, cookery, plumbing, auto vehicle mechanic, etc.

From a humble beginning, the school presently has demonstration rooms, assembly hall, classrooms, office, store, staff room, mini carpentry and plumbing shops, auto mechanic shops, school bus, as well as other administrative provisions.
Certificates were presented to the graduating students and cadets as well as a fundraising ceremony in aid of the school.