Nandom: The Social Investment Fund (SIF) has handed over a site for the construction of a climate-resilient technical and vocational training centre at St. John's Technical Institute in Nandom, Upper West Region. The GHS6.74 million facility, expected to be completed within 12 months, is part of the Post COVID-19 Skills Development and Productivity Enhancement Project (PSDPEP) funded by the African Development Bank.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Prosper Puo-Ire, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of SIF, stated at the site handover ceremony that the project marked a significant step in efforts to strengthen technical and vocational education and training in underserved communities. He noted that the initiative aligns with the Government's agenda to expand access to practical skills training and address youth unemployment through employable technical and vocational skills.
The facility will include workshops for the electrical, building, welding, and fabrication departments, a library, offices for heads of department, an administration block, and separate washroom facilities for boys and girls. Mr. Puo-Ire highlighted that St. John's Technical Institute is strategically positioned to serve communities within the Nandom Municipality, neighboring districts, and parts of Burkina Faso. The centre aims to provide students with modern equipment and industry-oriented practical training.
Mr. Puo-Ire emphasized the shift from conventional systems of memorizing and writing examinations to focusing on practical skills for employability and job creation. He described the project as a game changer that would empower the youth to establish businesses and create employment opportunities.
Mr. Anthony Zeniyele, the Nandom Municipal Chief Executive, commended SIF for the investment, saying the facility would improve teaching and learning and equip students with modern practical skills. He mentioned the project's potential to benefit more than 2,000 young people within and around the municipality, with expectations of increased enrolment due to improved infrastructure.
Dr. Eric Twum, Environmental, Climate Change and Social Safeguards Specialist for the project, stated that climate resilience measures are incorporated into the facility's design and implementation. Climate-friendly materials, rainwater harvesting systems, and other environmental sustainability measures are integrated into the project, with plans to replace trees affected during construction at four times the number removed.
Knak Design Partnership, the technical consultant for the project, and Brison Construction Company Limited assured the school authorities of completing and furnishing the facility within schedule. The Nandom project is one of four climate-resilient training centres being constructed in the Upper West, Bono, Ashanti, and Eastern Regions under the Post COVID-19 Skills Development and Productivity Enhancement Project.