By Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The Minister of Education, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, has raised concerns over the persistently low enrolment of girls in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions across the country.
The Education Minister’s concerns stem from the fact that TVET programmes hold great potential for future job opportunities, especially as there is currently a growing demand for skilled labour both locally and internationally.
Speaking to journalists during a monitoring visit to some centres where the ongoing 2025 TVET examinations are being conducted in the Eastern Region on Monday, June 30, 2025, Mr. Iddrisu described the gender gap in the TVET space as a pressing issue that could hinder national development and efforts toward gender equity in the workforce.
“This year, over 55,000 students are taking part in the TVET examinations, yet only 14,000 of them are female.
This is not just a statistic; it is a wake-up call. We cannot build a robust, inclusive economy when half of our population is underrepresented in critical sectors like skilled trades,” he reiterated.
Mr. Iddrisu, who is also the sitting Member of Parliament for the Tamale South Constituency in the Northern Region, stressed the urgent need for targeted interventions to encourage more girls to pursue careers in technical and vocational fields, which he said offer promising pathways to employment and entrepreneurship.
On that note, the Education Minister reiterated his government’s commitment to promoting gender balance in education and called on stakeholders, including school management, parents, and industry leaders, to work collaboratively to change the narrative.
