Proprietress of Imperial College of Arts (ICA), Nana Menyin Kwofie has poured cold water on wild assertion that technical and vocational education is for drop outs.
To her, countries that focuses on vocational skills are making strides by way of development and have improved the lives of its people.
As a result, she has appealed to government passionately to intensity its support for technical and vocational education in the country. .
And using ICA where the focus has been on preparing students for both WASSE, technical, vocational as a classical example, she said the students have embraced the concept and stand the greater chance of entering universities and tertiary institutions to further their vocational programs than students with only core subjects.
She pointed out that the school’s new vision which focuses on other significant courses and programs to ensure holistic knowledge and skills include beauty therapy, fashion design, graphic design, textile design and food and nutrition.
Started with just six students, the Kwabenya-based educational institution boats of about 40 students with ten dedicated tutors.
It currently has a boarding facility for its female students and are on the verge to secure National Accreditation Board backing, having received Ghana Education Service (GES) authorization.
Speaking at the school’s Open Day in Accra on Saturday, she said “Government is doing its part in the educational sector, but we want more attention to be accorded technical and vocational institutions. It is high time we train students who come out of school and are able to put into practice what they learnt in school.
“That is exactly what we do here, it is not true that Institutions like this are for drop outs, as we speak, some of our students have signed contracts to sew uniforms for some schools in the municipality, while others are also into bead making on contract basis for money.”
Special Guest of Honour for the occasion, Kojo Ampah Sahara, NPP Central Regional Financial Secretary lauded management of the school for the path it has chosen.
He said “Nana Addo is doing well by giving technical and vocational education attention, that is the way to go and that is the path countries like Malaysia and Singapore have chosen and are doing so well at all fronts.
“The appointment of Barbara Ayisi as Deputy Education Minister attests to how far the president want to take our education to; seminars, laboratories currently in our technical and educational institutions is an indication that Ghana has a future.”
Rubbishing the assertion that technical and vocational institutions are for drop outs, he urged parents to encourage wards with vocational skills to encourage them (Wards).
The event was crowned with a grand fashion exhibition show of various works put together by the student which the gathering admired.
It was Dr George KS Arkofu, who chaired the event and indicated that bookish knowledge is no longer relevant, rather applying what one studies after school determines how well a student does in life.