Falling standards of technical and vocational education and training in Ghana_ a case study of mechanical engineering trainees in Anlo, Kpando and have technical and vocational institutes in the volta region

Abstract

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has emerged as one of the most effective human resource development strategies that the nation needs to embrace in order to train and modernize her technical workforce for rapid industrialization and national development. This was the basis upon which the researcher set out to investigate the falling standards of crafts practice skills in Technical and Vocational Institutions. The study examined the current environment in which the TVET system in the country operates and high-light on how co ordination between practical skills demonstration and teaching of workshop processes can enhance skills acquisition and training; the impact of the fall in students’ performance and the link between training institutions and industries.As a component of this work, questionnaires and interviews were adopted as the main data collection instruments. Students and Tutors of the selected technical and vocational institutes were surveyed using the questionnaires whereas the heads of the institutions were interviewed. The study found that majority of the technical institutes lack infrastructural development which is affecting the quality of teaching and learning in the institutes. Time allocated for workshop practice is not enough. The institutes are also be-devilled with poor monitoring and supervision. It is not compulsory for students to have industrial attachment while at the same time they are not taken on industrial visits by the institutes. The curriculum being used is not industry driven and so TVET graduates find it difficult to get placed on jobs after school. The study found that the current state of technical and vocational institutes is greatly affecting the performance of students in examinations as in the most recent years. Have Technical Institute shows that 15 passed out of a total number of 123 students indicate that 12.2%. Hence it is recommended that the government should invest heavily in the TVET sector and open up for partnerships with industrial. Organizations.