Mrs. Abena Hawa, the President of the Dormaa Chapter of the Ghana Hairdressers and Beauticians Association (GHABA), has made a heartfelt appeal to parents, urging them to offer the same level of support to children undertaking apprenticeships or Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as they would to those engaged in formal education.
Mrs. Abena Hawa conveyed her appeal during the Graduation Exams organized for 23 GHABA apprentices at Dormaa Ahenkro. She emphasized that, as mentors, their primary objective is to ensure apprentices have ample time to acquire skills in their respective trades. However, they have observed that many apprentices are burdened with household chores, which impedes their early acquisition of expertise during the three to four years dedicated to learning.
She stressed that these apprentices are comparable to those in tertiary education, and such distractions should cease at the earliest opportunity. Mrs. Abena Hawa highlighted that some master craftsmen and women have had to provide financial support to apprentices who receive insufficient assistance from their parents. She noted that the lack of financial support sometimes forces apprentices into boy-girl relationships, which may result in pregnancies and hinder their ability to complete their three to four-year training period, ultimately affecting their future prospects. Hence, she calls upon parents to offer equal support to apprentices as they do to their children in formal education settings, to secure a better future for them.
Madam Joyce Yeboaa, Vice President of the Dormaa Ahenkro Chapter of the Ghana Hairdressers and Beauticians Association (GHABA), expressed her gratitude to the government for implementing the Free Apprenticeship Program designed to assist youths in acquiring skills in craftsmanship. She remarked that this policy has created numerous opportunities for young individuals who, due to financial constraints, were unable to pursue any form of handiwork.
She therefore urged the government to intensify its efforts in providing more opportunities for these young people to secure their future. As the Vice President of GHABA, she also called upon the government to support master craftsmen and women, as well as the learners, by organizing workshops for them to enable them to acquire additional knowledge and stay abreast of modern trends, thereby enhancing their ability to teach their apprentices and improve their work to the best of their capabilities.
Ms. Judith Meredith Arhin, an Examiner from the GHABA National Headquarters in Accra, expressed her confidence in the work of the graduating apprentices, commending their creativity and the quality of their projects. She acknowledged the presence of minor lapses and stated that these would be addressed at the conclusion of the examination to draw the apprentices’ attention to these issues, allowing them to make the necessary improvements as they await their certification and graduation.
