Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, a Deputy Chief of Staff in Charge of Administration, has called on Ghanaian youth not to just be participants in the digital age but be pioneers.

She challenge the youth to move beyond merely scrolling on the internet to actually building and going beyond being viral to becoming very valuable.

The Deputy Chief of Staff was speaking at the World Youth Skills Day Dialogue in Accra.

The World Youth Skills Day, observed annually on July 15, raises awareness of the value of equipping youth with the skills necessary to thrive in a world that is always changing.

The celebration formed part of the broader collaboration objectives with development partners like the Pact for Skills: Support to the Transformation of the TVET System in Ghana project co-financed by the German Development Cooperation (BMZ) and the European Union, and implemented by GIZ, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, the Commission for TVET, and the Ghana TVET Service.

The event was on the theme: “Youth Empowerment Through AI and Digitalisation: The Role of Technology in Hands-on Skills for Future Workforce.”

She said the skills the young people acquired would determine not just their future but the future of Ghana’s economy, the future of Ghana’s ethical governance and the global relevance as the black star of Africa.

Nana Bampoe Addo said the government was committed towards the speedy development of future-ready workforce.

She said through a range of interventions, the government was working to make digital skills and technical education accessible to all.

She reaffirmed the government’s shared commitment to youth development and skills transformation.

She said, “Let us shape a Ghana where every young person can dream, build, and thrive, not in spite of the future, but because they are equipped to own it.”

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Education, said there was the urgent need to reframe national perceptions of TVET and to recognise it as a vehicle for transformation.

“TVET is not a second option. It is a first-class solution to unemployment, underemployment, and the future of decent work,” he said.

The Minister said it was the government policy and agenda to reform the TVET system to integrate emerging digital skill sets.

He said with Artificial Intelligence taking over and changing learning in classrooms and how business was being done, it was imperative to incorporate same into our developmental agenda for TVET.

Mr Iddrisu said in the face of this transformation, TVET must also evolve and it was no longer sufficient for TVET systems to merely respond to changes in the labour market; rather, they must become proactive, forward-looking engines of innovation.

“We must build agile TVET frameworks that can anticipate emerging trends and equip learners with the competencies needed for the jobs of tomorrow.” he said.

The Minister reiterated government’s unwavering focus on youth development and national competitiveness through TVET.

Dr. Eric Kofi Adzroe, the Director-General of Ghana TVET Service, said the launch of National TVET Week on World Youth Skills Day was timely and symbolic.

“The National TVET Week celebration is positioned to enhance the image and perception surrounding technical education,” he said.

He said it also sought to strengthen national awareness and trust in TVET, promote Competency-Based Training (CBT) nationwide, deepen industry-academia-learner collaboration, encourage female enrolment and gender mainstreaming and position TVET for international partnerships and funding.

He emphasised the power of partnerships and the importance of rebranding TVET beyond outdated stereotypes.

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