Mrs Twum-Ampofo (in white) presents the equipment to the leader of the association
By Mudasiru Abdul Yakeen
A Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), Gifty Twum-Ampofo, has presented modern industrial sewing and hairdressing equipment to 20 graduates who underwent free training under the Council for Technical and Vocational Education Training (COTVET) and Ghana TVET Voucher Programme (GTVP) in the Abuakwa North constituency of the Eastern Region.
The equipment were funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) through the Ministry of Education for onwards distribution to the graduates after series of dialogue between the Education Ministry and her.
“In 2019, I paid for 20 dressmakers and hairdressers, 10 for each to take part in the COTVET Voucher Programme of which today the graduates through the Ministry of Education, and funding from the African Development Bank, are receiving state-of-the-arts industrial equipment for the purpose of training others who, in one way or the other, have no one to help them learn a trade. It is targeted that the beneficiaries will train at least two people in a season for free since the equipment are also given to them for free,” she said.
Distribution
Mrs Twum-Ampofo, who also doubles as the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North, added that each seamstress will receive an industrial sewing machine, embroidery machine, cutting machine and cover button machine, together with an industrial iron, while the hairdressers on the other hand will receive wall standing hand dryers, wall standing steamers, tonging equipment, hair straightener, sink and its accompanied seat for hair washing.
Speaking with the Daily Statesman, the leaders of the hairdressers and seamstresses association said the initiative had helped them achieve a major goal in life. She added that the equipment given to them will help eradicate streetism since they are also going to use them to train people which will go a long way to curb teenage pregnancy in the community.
GTVP
The Ghana TVET Voucher Project (GTVP) is aimed at providing competency-based training for registered master craft persons, workers, and apprentices in the informal sector.
Per the programme, the trainees will be trained in modern technology and skills to help improve their trade areas.
The GTVP, which began in 2017, is a project under Ghana-German Financial Development Cooperation, funded by the KfW German Development Bank, and implemented by COTVET.
