Kumasi, Dec. 11, GNA - The Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) would soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Mauritius Training Authority to aid Ghana in the development of a "prior learning policy." The policy would give recognition to people who have acquired skills through training in the informal or non-formal sector. Mr. Daniel Baffour-Awuah, the Executive Director, said this would make explicit the value of learning that is not assessed as part of a formal learning programme.

By so doing, individuals with relatively low levels of formal achievement would be motivated to enter programmes and continue learning if their knowledge, skills and wider competencies acquired through experience are recognized and used to reduce the costs of qualification. Mr. Baffour-Awuah was addressing the graduation ceremony for 60 tailors and dressmakers who underwent three months master craft intermediate training at the Centre for National Culture in Kumasi. He said they would want to tap into the considerable expertise of the Mauritian to inject pace into the policy.

"Successfully reforming skills provision involves both reforming the structure of the qualifications framework and embedding this in a qualifications structure, which would provide the necessary institutional support", he also noted.

He announced that COTVET would soon start the registration of training providers, accreditation and continued validation to ensure quality provision of training. Mr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ashanti Regional Coordinator of the Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association, appealed to the Government to consider them for award of contract to sew school uniforms meant for distribution to needy children.