Scrap national service, YEA – Frimpong Boateng

A former CEO of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Prof. Frimpong Boateng wants the National Service Scheme and the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) scrapped.

According to him, the resources pumped into these outfits must be channeled into technical and vocational training in Ghana.

Speaking at the Conference of the Commonwealth Association of Polytechnics, Africa, Prof. Boateng lamented over the inadequate funding of technical and vocational training in the country.

“It is only technical and vocational training that can propel us to exploit the abundant resources that we have. Another problem that I see is the disgraceful low expenditure on Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) which is 0.9 to 1.5% of the already blown budget of education… it is a serious matter,” the Ghanaian physician and cardiothoracic surgeon stated.

“The National Service should be scrapped and resources channeled into TVET and assisted businesses in distress.

“Also the National Youth Employment Programme which is called GYEEDA and any other politically motivated ineffective interventions should be disbanded and efforts concentrated on training the youth through TVET,” Prof. Boateng suggested.

Ghana’s national service scheme provides newly qualified graduates the opportunity to have practical exposure on the job, both in the public and private sectors, as part of their civic responsibility to the State.