As schools reopen next week, the practical concern for many parents is transition for those who sat the primary and secondary examinations, whose results were released in the last two months.
Form One placement was done early this month and the objective was to place every Standard Eight candidate in secondary school under the 100 per cent transition policy.
However, not everyone will get a chance and, even if they do, not all can progress to secondary school for various reasons.
For Form Four leavers, just a small percentage will proceed to university and the rest have to get look for other options.
And this is the subject of discussion here. Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) offers the best alternative.
After years of skewed expansion of higher education, where mid-level colleges and, mostly, technical training institutions were upgraded and converted into universities without commensurate replacement, that sector nearly collapsed.
However, there has been a rethink and, in recent years, the government has enormously expanded these colleges, which now offer a golden chance for school leavers to pursue skills training.
For good measure, the colleges are heavily funded and supported with facilities and equipment.
Moreover, the government has created scholarship programmes to finance needy students’ studies.
Experience elsewhere has demonstrated that success of a nation depends on technical competencies.
It is those courses that form the basis for industrialisation and manufacturing, which are vital for economic growth.
The government should publicise the programmes widely and encourage more students to enrol for them, with schools sensitised about them.
It should also establish linkages with industry to facilitate internships and recruitment of the technical training graduates.
The industrialisation dream is better served with dedicated attention to TVET.
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