INSTITUTIONS AND PROGRAMMES

There are 160 technical and vocational institutions in Ghana run by different government agencies and 250 registered private institutions. There are also 700 unregistered private vocational schools/training centres. There are 6 Polytechnics and the University of Science and Technology which provide technical education at the Higher National diploma and degree levels respectively.

Table 5 below gives the breakdown of government agencies/institutions engaged in technical and vocational education and training:

Table 5 Government Agencies and Nuùber of Institutions engaged in TVE.

GOVERNMENT AGENCY	NO. OF INSTITUTIONS
National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI)	21
Integrated Community Centres for Employable Skills (ICCES)	70
Intermediate Technology Transfer Unit (ITTU)	6
Ghana Education Service (GES)	21
Other Government Institutions	42
Total	160

NATIONAL VOCATIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTE

The National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) is a technical and vocational training agency under the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare. The courses offered by the NVTI are mostly practically oriented. In general, they consist of 75 percent of practical training and 25 percent theoretical studies. The duration of the courses varies from 2 to 4 years, with the 4-year courses, run on block-release basis. Also run by the NVTI are 2 to 3-year apprenticeship courses, which are known as centre-based courses simply because both the educational and practical training are done at the centre. These courses lead to the

Tradesman Grade II and Grade I certificates. Entry to NVTI courses is open to holders of the Middle School Leaving Certificate (MSLC), Junior Secondary School Certificate (JSSC), Basic Education Certificate (BEC) or its equivalent.

Integrated Community Centres For Employable skills

The Integrated Community Centres for Employable Skills (ICCES), which are under the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, normally run short courses which are predominantly practically oriented. These courses are geared towards practical skills acquisition through community development projects. The duration of the courses varies from a minimum of about two weeks (for vulcanizers) up to a maximum of two years. Applicants could be either literate or illiterate but must be fit and trainable.

Intermediate Technology Unit

Apart from giving on-the-job training to artisans and small-scale industrialists in the private sector, the Intermediate Technology Transfer Unit (ITTU) under the auspices of the Ghana Regional Appropriate Technology Industrial Service (GRATIS), makes available to its clients the following services free of charge

a) technical information
b) advice on technical, economic and commercial matters.

The ITTU is a group of production workshops demonstrating new products and improved manufacturing methods. It shows what is possible and leads the way by providing a practical example for others to follow. It liaises with educational as well as research institutions and also offers rural and women's industrial extension services to help introduce non-engineering income-generating activities such as food-processing, textiles and pottery.

Courses run By Private Technical/Vocational Schools/Institutes

Private technical and vocational institutions run a variety of courses lasting between 3 and 4 years. Their students take either the City and Guilds of London Institute or the Ghana Education Service craft certificate examination or the national Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) Craftsman or Tradesman Grade certificate examination. The entry requirements include the possession of any one of the following: The Middle-school Leaving Certificate (MSLC), the Basic Education Certificate (BEC) or its equivalent.

Courses Run By Technical Institutes Under the Administration of the Technical and Vocational Education division of the Ghana Education Service

The programmes of Technical Institutes, embracing technological and practical training as well as general education, are organized along the following lines (See Appendix 'C' for courses run in the Technical Institutes):

Full Time Programme

i) Pre-Employment Courses

- The programmes under this system are undertaken by holders of Middle School Leaving Certificate (MSLC)/Junior Secondary School Certificate (JSSC/Basic Education Certificate (BEC) or its equivalent for a minimum of three years.

- Course offered are in the ratio of 60 percent practical training and 40 percent theory.

ii) Block release Course

Under this system, workers and apprentices who are holders of MSLC/SSC/BEC or its equivalent are released by employers to attend classes for short periods of fifteen to seventeen (15-17) weeks per year for four years.

iii) Short Courses

Special short courses in specific fields are organized according to local and national manpower needs or at the request of employers in the fields of industry, commerce, agriculture, etc.

Part-Time Programme

i) Afternoon Classes

Classes are organized in the afternoons for workers and other interested members of the public who are holders of MSLC/SSC/BEC or its equivalent and would like to further their education in technical and vocational subjects beyond the MSLC/JSSC/BEC level.

ii) Evening Classes

Classes are organized in the evenings for workers and other interested members of the public who are holders of the MSLC/JSSC/BEC or its equivalent and would like to further their education in technical and vocational subjects beyond the MSLC/JSSC/BEC level.

- The duration of a part-time course is normally one year longer than that of a full-time course.

- Both full-time and part-time courses lead to the award of Craft Certificates of the Ghana Education Services (GES) the City and Guild of London Institute (CGLI).

Advanced Craft and Technician Course

Advanced Craft and Technician Courses are offered in Technical Institutes which have the necessary facilities.

Polytechnics

Following the upgrading of the Polytechnics to tertiary institutions under the educational reform programme, they have since 1993 started running Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes on full-time basis in place of the lower technician and advanced craft courses, which are now being run in the afternoon and evening as part-time classes. (See Appendix 'D' and 'E' for the programmes and courses of the Polytechnics).

Universities

Although all the four Universities in the country offer some programmes in the field of science and technology, it is only one of them, the University of Science and Technology, Kumasi that has been set up specifically to provide programmes in engineering and other technological studies as well as in art education. The University of Cape Coast has recently begun an M. Phil degree course in Vocational Education and Training.

University College of Winneba

This University College, which was established by the amalgamation of 7 Diploma-Awarding Colleges, is specifically assigned the responsibility of producing graduate teachers for second-cycle institutions in a variety of disciplines including art, Business Education, Home Science, Music, Physical Education, Mathematics and Science.

Articulation

Below is a brief description of the articulation between technical and vocational education and other elements of the educational system, which can best be understood by referring to the educational structure in Appendix 'A'.

Students who complete Basic Education may enter a Technical Institute or a Senior Secondary School, where they take a 3-year programme. On completion, the Senior Secondary School graduates may proceed to the University for a degree course or to a Polytechnic for the HND programme or to any of the other tertiary institutions for preparation for an occupation of their choice. On the other hand, on completion of their craft course, the Technical Institute graduates may enter into employment for a year, after which they may go back to the Institute to do the advanced craft course. After the advanced craft course, the students may undertake a technician course either on full-time basis at a Technical Institute or on part-time basis at a Polytechnic. Students who complete the technician course may proceed to a Polytechnic for the HND programme. The graduates from the Polytechnic have the opportunity to enter any of the Universities to undertake a degree course.

It is important to note that the curriculum for technical and vocational education at the craft level as well as the advanced craft and technician levels includes, among others, general subjects which give the students a sound background in general education so that those who have the ability may proceed to the highest possible level of their educational and occupational careers. With the integration of the general subjects into the technical and vocational education curriculum, firm linkages have been established throughout the educational system. For example, in the case of technical and vocational students, provision has been made for the admission of

i. artisans to craft courses.
ii. craftsmen to technician courses, and
iii. technicians to university or professional courses.