Financing Technical Vocational Education And Training In Ghana: The Role Of The Government And International Donor Agencies

This research paper strives to study the financing of Technical Vocational Education and Training in Ghana and particularly looking at the role of the Government of Ghana and that of International Donor Agencies. The main objectives are to look at the sources of financing, assessing what motivates the Government in financing TVET, how much the government and International Donors commit to it and what are some of the challenges they face as they do these. Apart from taking into account these sources, this paper also looks at who should finance technical vocational education and training and opinions on how funding can be improved for this sector.This research paper has six chapters in total. Chapter I deals with the introduction which includes a background study, statement of problem, objectives of study and significance of study. Chapter2encompasses the literature review and the theoretical framework which presents an overview of education in Ghana and touches on the challenges of the TVET sector. This chapter also presents a framework on historical perspectives of human capital theory linking it to perspectives of skills development in recent perspectives.Chapter3explains the model and methods of research used in this work. The mixed method of research is used in this work employing the use of both primary and secondary data. Primary data collected by the aid of questionnaires, discussions and interviews and secondary data collated from the internet, books and journals. This leads us to Chapter4which studies the role of the government of Ghana and that of international donor agencies in the financing of TVET in Ghana. Looking at how each party contributes its quota to the development of this sector of education. The government for a period of10years dedicated between19to27%of its budget to the education sector; out of this, TVET for the same period of time had not more than1%allocated to it as opposed to the fact that this sector produces90%of all Ghana’s national skill training, a pivot in economic and human resource development.Chapter5focuses on findings and analysis of data that were collected concerning the general population’s knowledge on TVET and perspectives on who should finance TVET. Results that were obtained showed that many had a fair knowledge about technical vocational education and expected much contribution from the government as far as financing is concerned. The final chapter, Chapter6gives recommendations and concludes the research work. Recommendations were made for the government to provide infrastructural, equipment and fiscal support to technical and vocational education, to engage in a nationwide sensitization to upgrade the importance of TVET and to create avenues profitable enough for all stakeholders to support in the financing of the TVET sector.