The College of Technology Education Kumasi (COLTEK) of the University of Education Winneba (UEW), has secured a-57,000.00-Canadian-dollar grant to train 100 Ghanaian youth in automotive electronic vehicle repairs and maintenance.

The money is being utilized to implement the “Skills-in-Demand” project, being piloted, under the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Programme.

Professor Anthony Afful-Broni, the Vice Chancellor, who announced this said the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COVET) had also granted full accreditation to COLTEK to run Competency Based Training (CBT) programmes in garment making, electronics engineering technology and automotive engineering technology at the national proficiencies I and II.

Added to that were catering and hospitality management at national certificate, on the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Qualification Framework (NTVETQF).

The accreditation makes the College the only one in the country to run these programmes under Ghana TVET Voucher Project, being jointly sponsored by COTVET and the German International Cooperation (GIZ).

Prof Afful-Broni was speaking at the 24th congregation of the University at COLTEK in Kumasi.

Five thousand nine hundred and fifteen (5,915), students were presented with certificates and degrees at the ceremony.

The Vice Chancellor said the College was currently recruiting master artisans in the four programme areas for onward registration with COTVET to pave way for the commencement of the programmes.

He added that COLTEK was expanding its infrastructural facilities to cope with the increasing demand of its programmes and the expected increases in enrolment following the introduction of the free senior high school policy.

Prof Afful-Broni urged the graduating students to take advantage of the holistic education they had received to make positive impact in society, to make the university proud.

Mr. Simon Osei Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, reminded the graduating students to be honest, patriotic, humble, and to respect their fellow human beings to enable them become successful in life.

He said the planned merger of the Asante Mampong and Kumasi campuses of the University to achieve autonomy status - to become independent institutions, was on course and appealed to the management of the Colleges to prepare themselves for it.