Relevance of Competency Based Training in Polytechnic Education for National Development

Abstract

The educational system in Ghana has undergone various forms of transformation over the last few decades. These transformations aim at improving the educational system to produce the right calibre of graduates for national development. The Ministry of Education in 1987 introduced new educational system which gradually replaced the British-based G.C.E Ordinary and Advanced level systems. In September 2007, the country gave birth to another educational reform which emphasized on Science, Mathematics, Technology, and Technical & Vocational Educational Training (TVET). This is to provide employable skills for graduates and help reduce the high rate of unemployment in the country. Over the years, TVET has been limited to the apprenticeship, vocational and technical institutions. Learning at the tertiary level has always been the acquisition of theoretical knowledge with very little hands on training. Industries have no other alternative than to give their employees many weeks of “on the job training. Introduction of Competency Based Training (CBT) at the polytechnics which aims at providing graduates with the employable skills is therefore welcoming news and must be cherished and sustained by all. CBT is the acquisition of appropriate knowledge, attitudes, personal traits and skills to efficiently perform work place roles in industry, commerce, management and administration. This paper highlights the need for polytechnics to run their programmes on the principles of CBT. It outlines the importance of CBT in polytechnic education, gives overview of the structure of the CBT curriculum, its development and implementation in agricultural engineering, assessment criteria and challenges. It was concluded with some recommendations.