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Tamale, Ghana – Some unemployed graduates and experts at a forum in Tamale have unanimously agreed that Ghana’s educational training institutions are not offering the best of tuition that would enable students and graduates to function efficiently in class or at the work place.
They say the government needs to urgently consider reforming the entire educational system in a manner that will enable all pre-universities and universities imbibe the right skills in their students so that they can think innovatively.
The participants and experts believe there is very little in practice with regards to most of the courses that are being taught at the various institutions, and advocate for more focus on practical training in order to inject the right skills in students to enable them succeed in the field of entrepreneurship after school.
The one-day jobs and unemployment forum dubbed: “Job Camp” was organised by Ghana Think Foundation, a social enterprise and multi-donor funding organisation, STAR-Ghana with Citi FM as a partner.
Job Camps are free networking forums that bring people together to discuss jobs and unemployment in the country. They feature resource persons from the public and private sectors, civil society organisations, academia and youth representatives.
The Tamale forum featured co-founder of Sekaf Ghana Limited Mr. Senyo kpelly, Transport Manager of M&M Xpress Limited, Madam Mawusi A. Siabi, a Teacher at the Tamale Senior High School, Madam Cecilia Sefakor, a Disaster Management Expert, Mr Kofi Larbi and an Assistant Rector at the Tamale Technical University, Mr. Wumbei Abdulai as resource persons.
According to the Director of Ghana Think Foundation, Ato Ulzen-Appiah in his welcome remarks, the event is being organised in all ten regional capitals of the country, with the objective of providing a platform for participants to discuss jobs and networking.
He explained that, Job Camp is expected to lead to better partnerships amongst the youth in creating enterprises, access to employment and personal development opportunities. “Through Job Camp, we believe that there will be a better understanding of what kinds of jobs are required and should be created in each location of Ghana”, Mr Ulzen-Appiah indicated.
STAR-Ghana has a vision to see an active and engaged civil society capable of articulating citizens’ demands and an effective state that is responsive and accountable to its citizens.
The Gender and Social Inclusion Officer at STAR-Ghana, Safia Musah, underscored the fact that Ghana’s youth forms a major part of her population and that they have unique challenges that seriously confronts them.
According to her, STAR-Ghana thinks that there is the need to support the development of the youth by giving them the platform to voice their concerns so that those concerns can be captured by government when it is formulating youth-centred policies.
Sitting through the event from beginning to end, Madam Safia verdict about the whole event is that, the support from STAR-Ghana towards the organisation of Job Camp in Tamale and throughout the rest of the country is worth it.
Co-founder of Hopin Academy and a volunteer at the event who spoke to Savannahnewsonline.com on behalf of Ghana Think Foundation, said the event overall was very impactful.
He said a final report on the overall outcome of the event after the nationwide tour would enable Ghana Think Foundation, Citi FM and STAR-Ghana hold dialogue sessions with government so that the concerns raised by the youth can be addressed.
Over 60 youth people mostly university graduates participated in the Tamale Job Camp event held at the Tamale Sports Stadium conference room.
By savannahnewsonline.com/Philip Liebs
