Prof. Aryeetey cautions against politicizing TVET reforms

Emeritus Professor Ernest Aryeetey, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, has warned that Ghana’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system will fail to deliver results if it continues to be driven by politics rather than sound policy.

Speaking on The Point of View on Channel One TV on Monday, October 20, 2025, Prof. Aryeetey described TVET as a valuable initiative with immense potential, but said its implementation has been undermined by political motives and poorly designed reforms.

“TVET, properly structured, is a good idea. When you do TVET for the wrong reasons, as I have seen in this country, it can lead to nowhere,” he said. “TVET is important, but let’s do it properly. If we want to do it properly, there are people in this country who can show us how to do it instead of making it political.”

He stressed that evidence-based planning and expert input are essential if TVET is to produce graduates equipped with practical, employable skills. According to him, the politicization of education reform has consistently hindered long-term progress.

“Many of our reforms in education have been politically motivated; that is why we’re not getting the results,” he added.

Prof. Aryeetey also expressed concern that Ghana’s current wave of education reforms is worsening the system rather than improving it.

He said policymakers tend to focus on superficial adjustments that fail to tackle the deep-seated problems confronting schools and students.

“Most of my time in education has been spent fighting these types of micro-level reforms that simply worsen the situation,” he said. “There is enough research being done, not only in Ghana but across Africa, that shows the type of education you can provide at the basic, Junior High, and Senior High levels that produces productive, versatile students.”

He criticized the country’s overemphasis on university education, arguing that it limits opportunities for young people to gain practical expertise.

“They don’t need a university degree to be able to do things. But we’ve built a system that funnels everyone into universities. It is wrong, and it will always be wrong,” he stated.

With the return of John Dramani Mahama to office in January 2025, the government has signalled renewed emphasis on TVET reform and skills development.

In his first State of the Nation Address, President Mahama committed to increasing the TVET enrolment rate from 11 % to 20 % of students, stating his intention to establish regional TVET Centres of Excellence and enhance STEM-integrated technical education.

The Ministry of Education, under Honourable Haruna Iddrisu, also announced a proposal to establish a dedicated TVET Fund to ensure sustainable financing of the sector, particularly for key programmes like the recently launched National Apprenticeship Programme (NAP).

In April this year, the flagship National Apprenticeship Programme (NAP) was launched in Tamale, designed to train and certify apprentices in various trade/craft areas, provide start-up capital, and link graduates to industry mentorship and business opportunities.

The budget for its initial phase was GH¢300 million with the target of training 100,000 young people.