Restructuring Vocational and Technical Education in Ghana: The Role of Leadership Development

Abstract

Vocational technical education and training in Ghana is currently undergoing restructuring. Many reforms are in place to improve the quality of provision and learning outcomes to make it more accessible and attractive to all, and to ensure it is relevant and connected to the world of work. The potential success of these reforms will depend largely on the administrators and managers who are responsible for generating ideas and formulating policies ,as well as those responsible for transforming policies into practice. In this regard, effective leadership becomes an important variable that must be considered in the new vocational education environment. There is the need for Ghana to pay attention to providing leadership programs and guidance to current leaders and new and aspiring administrators and managers of vocational technical education. Such leadership development programs should attempt to cultivate in individuals key attributes and characteristics that can predispose successful leadership performance. The availability of leadership development programs and the possibility of being able to acquire certain leadership behaviours and enhance and use certain leadership attributes holds great promise for those participating in and leading vocational educational programs, reform efforts, and the change process in the country.