Accra, April 29, GNA - The Minister of State at the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, Ms Elizabeth Ohene on Tuesday urged students in Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) to value themselves and their various professions in order to earn the respect of the society.

"Dispel the notion that vocational and technical education is for school dropouts. It is only when you believe in yourselves that you can get the society to also appreciate you and the things that you do". Speaking at the maiden awards ceremony organized by the Vocational Training for Female (VTF) Programme for those in the vocational and technical industries who accepted TVET students on practical attachments, she urged the students to accept the introduction of English and Mathematics to their curriculum.

She said the introduction of the two subjects became necessary to address the notion that Technical and Vocational education were for those who were weak in those subjects and to also put them on the same pedestal with those in secondary schools.

The Minister appealed to teachers, especially those who teach mathematics to make the subject more approachable to their students to unravel any mystery surrounding it.

The awards ceremony was under the theme; 'Industry and TVET Providers-Partners in Skills Training.

Mrs Leticia Osafo Addo, Vice President, Ghana Association of Industries said over 80 percent of all manufacturing activities performed by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country faced huge challenges, especially finances and could not compete with companies in the developed and emerging economies.

"Due to the numerous challenges facing SMEs, our companies remain small with obsolete machinery which negate growth and expansion and policy makers have not been able to do much for us", she said. She noted that the practical attachments that trainees of Technical and Vocational education go through enabled them to acquire personal and professional growth, ensure that the individual was prepared for the job market and an increased appreciation of the nation's arts and culture.

Mrs Osafo Addo mentioned the absence of basic standard for assessing trainees, lack of curricula to match the requirements of the labour market, the little link between the nation's development goals and human resource development as some of the problems identified in respect to developing appropriate skills for the nation's workforce.

The Vice President of AGI appealed to the government to increase funding for their training and reduce financial burden on students through low or interest free loans. Ms Comfort Ntiamoa-Mensah, Director of VTF Programmes said every year the association spent 20,00 Ghana cedis on negotiating and looking for places for trainees to undergo practical attachments adding that practical attachment for them was now compulsory.

Seventy companies who accepted students for practical training from the hospitality, food, fashion, building, carpentry and electronic industries across the nation were given certificates and citations to recognize their support to trainees.