Enhancing Apprenticeship Training in Ghana Through Distance Learning

Francis Donkor
Department of Technology Education, University of Education, Winneba

Joshua Mallet
Commonwealth of Learning

     Full text: HTML
     Last modified: July 6, 2006
     Presentation date: 10/31/2006 2:15 PM in NT Ortanique
     (View Schedule)

Abstract
In Ghana hundreds of thousands of young people are engaged as apprentices in the private or informal sector. However, virtually all apprentices and masters lack formal vocational or technical training. Other challenges they face include: lack of access to current technological information and upgrading; lack of knowledge about environmental issues; and lack of entrepreneurial skills to manage their shops. Government has now decided to partner the private sector to promote apprenticeship. Additionally, Government has launched the President’s Special Initiative on Distance Learning (PSI-DL) and the Ghana ICT for Accelerated Development (ICT4AD) Policy. The PSI-DL has been extended to basic and second cycle levels and will soon cover TVET within formal and informal sectors. Under the ICT4AD Policy, computers and Internet access are being provided to basic and second cycle schools, and Community Information Centres are being established in all constituencies. This paper proposes a model of apprenticeship that could address the aforementioned challenges. Built on the three moves/policies of the Government, the model envisages apprenticeship training to take place at workshops (on-site) and through DL (off-site). The off-site mode will employ mainly radio and television broadcasts, audio-tapes and video-cassettes. However, On-line delivery could target the few literates amongst them.