Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in the Western Region are facing infrastructural challenges as enrolments rise in 2025 compared to previous years.

This year, the Western Region recorded a total of 5,473 students, comprising 4,288 males and 1,185 females in the National TVET Examination marking a significant increase from the 3,500 students last year.

During a tour of some of the examination centres in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) observed that workshops were filled to capacity and long queues at registration centres, signaling a growing preference for skills training over traditional academic paths.

‎However, TVET institutions have cited inadequate infrastructure as one of the major challenges hampering the progress of skills training in the region.

Mr Thomas Kwabena Cudjoe, Principal of the Sekondi- Takoradi Technical Institute, said: “Our biggest challenge now is infrastructure. As our numbers increase, we desperately need more classroom infrastructure.”

He appealed to corporate Ghana and donors to support the institutions with classrooms to help provide a conducive teaching and learning environment for both teachers and students.

Mr Anthony Oware Agyekum, Western Regional TVET Director, also expressed concerns over the lack of a central administrative office to run the affairs of TVET in the region.

“One of our major challenges is the lack of a regional office. Currently, we are operating out of Sekondi Takoradi Technical Institute.

“This problem could stall strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, data management, and support for the growing number of TVET institutions and trainees and make it unable to meet industry demands.”

‎Mr Agyekum called on the government for assistance to acquire a regional office space equipped with modern equipment to effectively run and monitor the programmes, saying; “We believe that with these resources, we can deliver our best.”
Meanwhile, Mr Joseph Nelson, the Western Regional Minister, reiterated government’s commitment to TVET while emphasising the need for prioritising the region’s competing needs.

He said: “The infrastructure deficit is daunting and there is much work to be done, and since TVET is here to stay, we must do everything possible to support its growth.

“It plays a vital role in shaping our youth’s education, so we need to make a commitment to resolving these issues, and by doing so, we will be better equipped to tackle the challenges and unlock TVET’s full potential.”