Ho, Sept. 14, GNA - Government's skills training programme to curb unemployment is to link up formal training and education to micro-enterprises through short modular courses, a Ministry of Manpower Development and Employment, (MMDE) Press Release in Ho stated on Friday. The release signed by Mr John Yaw Amankrah, Director, Research, Statistics and Vocational Training of MMDE said the government's Skills Training and Employment Placement (STEP) programme, is therefore, designed to create a "short-term," demand driven training system that can cater for the need of the informal economy.

Under the STEP programme, about 40,000 people would be provided with employable skills between 2002-2005 micro and small enterprises sector. The release said as part of the STEP programme, the traditional apprenticeship system would be modernised by providing 3,000 Master Craftsmen with know-how about up-to-date technology, training techniques and entrepreneurship.

The release said the programme, which is being implemented by the MMDE in collaboration with public and private training providers, trade associations, industry and district assemblies is funded by the HIPC relief funds.

It said already 2.4 billion cedis have been disbursed with 8 billion allocated for the next phase, which includes vocational and agricultural skills training in been-keeping, rabbit husbandry, snails and grasscutter rearing and vegetable production.