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UNICEF, Govt study uncovers skills mismatch in TVET sector
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A NEW study by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Ghana in partnership with the Government of Ghana has uncovered a significant mismatch between the skills taught in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and those required by employers.
Conducted in the Ashanti Region, the research assessed public and private TVET schools and compared their training programmes with the demands of industries such as agriculture, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), manufacturing, and construction.
The findings revealed that while some trades were oversupplied, critical sectors face severe shortages.
In agriculture, the region’s dominant sector, only one out of 57 pre-tertiary TVET institutions offers relevant training, despite high demand for agro-processing skills.
ICT, a fast-growing field, is offered in just four schools. By contrast, fashion design and garment-making dominate curricula, creating an oversupply of graduates, while areas like green technology and advanced Information Technology (IT) remain underrepresented.
The study also found a ‘perception gap’ between employers and graduates.
Employers complained of weak practical exposure and poor soft skills, while many graduates felt they were adequately prepared for work.
Free TVET education has boosted enrollment, but limited facilities and equipment were overstretching schools and undermining Competency-Based Training (CBT).
Private institutions recorded higher CBT accreditation than public ones, though both struggle with resources.
According to the research, employers also reported difficulties finding job-ready candidates with practical experience.
UNICEF’s Education Specialist, Dr Tillman Guenther, noted that Ghana’s youthful population offers a potential demographic dividend that could drive economic growth.
However, this opportunity is threatened by unemployment and job insecurity.
“Increasing investment in TVET and tailoring training to market demands are critical if Ghana is to equip its young people with the skills needed for meaningful employment,” Dr Guenther said.
He called for collective action by government, private sector, and development partners to ensure TVET becomes a true driver of sustainable growth.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has strongly criticised the decision of the Court of Appeal to acquit and discharge former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedinam Christine Tamakloe Attionu.
In a statement issued on July 30, 2026, the party described the ruling as a “travesty of justice” and claimed it was politically motivated.
The Court of Appeal on Thursday overturned her conviction and 10-year prison sentence, which had been imposed by the High Court in April 2024 on charges including stealing, causing financial loss to the state, money laundering and breaches of the Public Procurement Act.
According to the NPP, the former MASLOC boss was tried for five years and convicted after the High Court examined evidence relating to alleged financial irregularities during her tenure between 2013 and 2016.
The party noted that she left Ghana while the trial was ongoing and was later extradited from the United States, arriving in Ghana on June 9, 2026.
The NPP argued that the trial court had found that her actions caused a loss of nearly GH¢90 million to the state and that the evidence against her was substantial.
It questioned why the conviction was overturned barely seven weeks after her return to Ghana.
The party further accused the Attorney-General of using state institutions to protect people connected to the governing party.
It claimed that several cases involving persons affiliated with the government had been discontinued since January 2025 and that the acquittal of Madam Tamakloe Attionu was part of that pattern.
The NPP linked the decision to the ongoing case involving its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
It called for his immediate acquittal and discharge, arguing that his conviction was also politically motivated.
The party demanded that the Attorney-General publish details of all cases involving persons linked to the governing party that have been withdrawn, discontinued or otherwise terminated since January 2025, including the reasons for those decisions.
It called on the Judicial Council and the leadership of the Judiciary to take steps to restore public confidence in the justice system.
The NPP said it would pursue all lawful avenues, including a possible review at the Supreme Court where applicable, to ensure accountability in cases involving public funds.
The party maintained that the fight against corruption must not be selective and that public resources belong to all Ghanaians.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame has disagreed with the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit former MASLOC Chief Executive Officer Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, insisting that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Mr Dame made the remarks after the Court of Appeal unanimously overturned her conviction and 10-year prison sentence.
He maintained that the evidence presented by the prosecution during the trial was credible and sufficient to support the conviction.
According to him, Ms Tamakloe absconded after she had been confronted with evidence led by the prosecution.
Mr Dame questioned the basis for the acquittal and suggested that the current Attorney-General should explain what led to the Court of Appeal’s decision.
He wondered whether the appeal had been strongly opposed by the state.
When asked whether he would advise the Attorney-General to challenge the ruling, Mr Dame answered in the affirmative.
“Oh, definitely,” he stated.
The former Attorney-General spoke about the ongoing criminal case involving former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
He indicated that an application for stay of proceedings filed at the High Court had been dismissed, and that a fresh application had been filed at the Court of Appeal.
Mr Dame argued that the charge sheet in the case was defective and that the appellate court should determine the issue before the trial proceeds.
He further criticised the decision to hear the case during the legal vacation, describing it as an “unjustified haste” and saying such trials had not been conducted during vacation periods in the past.
Mr Dame said his legal team would formally protest the directive allowing the case to proceed during the vacation.
The Court of Appeal’s ruling in favour of Ms Tamakloe has become a major legal and political issue, with the Attorney-General’s Department already announcing plans to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court.
By: Jacob Aggrey
