The government has been commended for its commitment to boosting the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) education system in the country.
Principal of Business Secretarial and Technical Institute (BSTI) at Asuoyeboah in the Ashanti Region, Abena Mansah Foriwaah, made the remarks when the Kwadaso Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Eric Asibey, cut sod for the construction of new educational infrastructure projects at the institution.
The two major projects include the construction of a 3-storey building with a 2-bedroom principal’s apartment and a 6-unit staff flat, awarded to Cape Tree Company Limited, and a multipurpose TVET Center, awarded to SG Two-Trust Company Limited.
The projects are expected to be completed within 24 months and 30 months, respectively, providing much-needed facilities for the school.
Ms. Foriwaah acknowledged the previous government’s efforts in initiating investments in technical and vocational institutions and welcomed the current government’s commitment to sustaining and expanding these investments, which would further boost the sector’s growth and development.
She pointed out that BSTI has been struggling with inadequate infrastructure and learning resources.
She is therefore optimistic the projects, when completed, will be a game-changer, helping to alleviate some of the school’s pressing challenges and create a better learning environment for students.
“We were facing a lot of challenges, which include lack of teachers’ accommodation, inadequate classrooms, and other infrastructure, so timely completion of this project will provide excellent teaching and learning facilities, monitoring, and supervision to maintain the school’s vision of being the best in the training of engineers, secretaries, and other professional personnel.”
She emphasised that the government has given assurances that the necessary funds for the project’s completion will be disbursed promptly, so the management of the institution is counting on the contractors to meet the deadlines.
In an interview, Mr. Asibey revealed that the projects, funded by GetFund under the New Targeted And Emergency Projects (NTEmP), aim to boost efforts to improve educational infrastructure and enhance the learning environment for students in the municipality.
He expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama for driving development across the country and highlighted the importance of quality education in shaping Ghana’s future generations.
He urged the contractors to adhere to project specifications and timelines since funding is already secured.
Mr. Asibey emphasized that President Mahama’s focus is on wrapping up all ongoing projects before his term ends.
“President Mahama is committed to completing all the projects initiated by the previous government and, for that matter, he cannot abandon his own projects.
“So, the consultant needs to keep an eye on the contractors and ensure that top-notch materials are being used for the projects and that deadlines are met as well.”
The MCE emphasized the need to engage local skilled labour, creating employment opportunities for youths in the municipality.
“We want to see the involvement of our local people like masons, carpenters, and other artisans in this project, and we appeal to the contractor to prioritize the use of local resources,” he said.
Meanwhile, Engineer Richard Addo-Gyamfi, Ashanti Regional Director of the Ghana Technical and Vocational Education and Training Service (GTVET), also revealed that some people have been encroaching on the school’s land because there is no infrastructure or boundary wall.
He made an urgent appeal to authorities and stakeholders to intervene and prevent further encroachment on the Institute’s land and safeguard its future.
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