Yesterday, Team Eduwatch met virtually with the National Coordinator for the free Senior High School (SHS) Programme to request updates on the implementation progress of government's free TVET Programme as part of the free SHS.

The meeting focused on how to secure and promote the interest of students in choosing/pursuing TVET related programmes post-BECE, with a focus on access and improved quality of TVET institutions. The Executive Director of Eduwatch, while commending government's efforts in adding 139 TVET schools to the free TVET list of schools, raised concerns on accommodation for Technical and Vocational Institutes (TVIs) as a major factor inhibiting the interest of students in pursing TVET, as most TVIs lack accommodation and are situated several miles away from most persons who wish to attend. He urged government to take into cognisance the need to provide accommodation for TVIs and improve the quality of TVET services and reforms to make it a more desirable choice of programme for pupils seeking to select secondary schools.

Eduwatch is supporting the Ministry of Education through the #iChooseTVET Campaign to promote the participation and increased subscription of BECE Graduates to Technical Institutes under the free TVET Programme, with the aim of increasing the TVET-to-Secondary ratio from the current 6% to at least 10% in the 2021/22 Academic Year while promoting access to market led skills training to reduce youth unemployment.

John the Campaign by using the hash tag #iChooseTVET