Presidential candidate for the Movement for Change, Alan Kyeremanteng, has unveiled an ambitious plan to ensure that every child in Ghana has a job after completing Senior High School (SHS).
Speaking on StarrChat with Bola Ray, the former Minister for Trade and Industry, emphasised that his presidency will prioritise job creation and provide opportunities for students to gain work experience.
Kyerematen highlighted a common problem in Ghana’s job market, where graduates struggle to secure employment due to a lack of experience.
He explained that his government would introduce a mandatory one-year work programme for SHS graduates, separate from the National Service scheme.
Kyerematen outlined the five options available for SHS graduates to gain work experience.
He explained that those with a passion for trades such as carpentry, masonry, or dressmaking would be placed in apprenticeships, with the government covering the costs of business owners who engage the students for at least one year.
Similarly, for students interested in working in formal companies, he stated that his government will pay companies to provide internship opportunities.
According to him, his plan aims to address this gap by ensuring that students gain hands-on experience immediately after completing their SHS education.
He reiterated that under his presidency, the focus will be on providing practical job skills to young people, ensuring they are job-ready as soon as they complete their education.
He stated, “I’m starting with SHS. After SHS, it is compulsory that you enter into the world of work. For one year after it’s compulsory. This is different from National Service”
“There will be five options available to you. The first option, if you are generally oriented towards trades like carpentry, masonry, dressmaking any of those trades, then the government will now pay any of the owners of those types of businesses to engage you for at least one year”, he reiterated.
He continued, “So it’s compulsory that if you are more oriented towards trades, then you go into apprenticeship. If you want to work in a formal company, then the government would also pay companies and private companies to give you an internship opportunity. You find all around Ghana that you finish school, you apply for a job, you don’t have experience.”
