TVET Students Get Only GH₵33 a Year for Practicals — Report

Policy think tank Africa Education Watch has raised concerns over what it describes as extremely low funding for practical training in Ghana’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector. In its 2026 First Quarter Education Policy Monitoring report, the group revealed that students under the Free TVET policy receive just GH₵33 annually for practical lessons—an amount it says is far too small to support effective skills training. According to the report, the limited funding means most TVET schools can only organise one practical session per month instead of the expected weekly sessions. The think tank added that even these few practical sessions are often poorly executed due to lack of materials and resources. Africa Education Watch also criticised the current funding model, noting that it is based on the Free SHS system and does not reflect the higher cost of technical and vocational education. It explained that evidence from before the introduction of Free TVET shows that technical education is at least twice as expensive as general secondary education. The organisation warned that maintaining the current structure could result in graduates who are strong in theory but lack the practical skills demanded by industry. It stressed that without urgent reforms, Ghana’s ambition to use TVET as a tool for industrialisation and job creation could be seriously affected. Africa Education Watch is therefore calling on the government to review and increase funding for practical training to improve the quality and effectiveness of the TVET sector.