Ghana hosts maiden Africa Skills Week

The African Union (AU) has selected Ghana to host the maiden edition of Africa Skills Week scheduled for October 14-18, at the Palm Convention Centre (La Palm Royal Beach Hotel), in Accra.

The continental event, dedicated to promoting skills development and job creation across Africa, will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, educators, and youth from various African countries and beyond.

It is being organised by the African Union Commission, the Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, in collaboration with Ghana’s Ministry of Education, on the theme: “Skills and jobs for the 21st Century: Quality skills development for sustainable employability in Africa”. 

Programme

It will focus on equipping Africa’s youth with relevant skills to meet the demands of a rapidly changing global economy while promoting entrepreneurship, industrialisation and economic resilience.

Its objective, among others, is to raise awareness of the significance of skills development in enhancing employability, entrepreneurship and economic resilience in Africa.

It is also to facilitate the exchange of best practices, innovative approaches, and successful initiatives in skills development among stakeholders from across Africa and beyond.

The event also aims to contribute to the AU’s broader agenda of building resilient education systems that offer inclusive, lifelong and quality learning opportunities.

Skills development

The event further seeks to focus on skills development, unlock the potential of Africa’s youth, drive sustainable economic growth and foster social inclusion across the continent.

Six ministers of education and 10 ministerial representatives from the AU member states, and a high-powered delegation from UNESCO and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), among other stakeholders, are expected to participate in the week-long activities. There will also be delegates from the Asia-Pacific region.

Commitment to TVET

Addressing journalists at a media launch of the event, the Director-General of the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), Dr Fred Kyei Asamoah, underscored the importance of the selection of Ghana as host.

“It is a clear testament to our country’s growing leadership in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) across the continent.

“Ghana’s hosting of this prestigious event underscores our commitment to TVET as a critical driver for national development. It also reaffirms the confidence of the AU and our partners in Ghana’s TVET ecosystem,” he added.   

Investments

Dr Asamoah further said that the government had made significant investments in infrastructure, curriculum reforms, and capacity building for instructors.

They include the construction of modern TVET centres, the rollout of the Competency-Based Training (CBT) system, and the establishment of Sector Skills Bodies (SSBs) to ensure the training is aligned with industry needs.

“We see TVET as a way not just to combat youth unemployment, but also spur industrialisation, promote innovation, and enhance global competitiveness,” he said.