The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo said technical and vocational education which has the capacity to turn Ghana's economy round, has receive little attention over the past years.
He therefore called for the introduction of mathematics and English Language as compulsory subjects in vocational and technical schools to help change the perception of those institutions as being the preserve of dull students.
He said it was sad that Ghana had only 26 government accredited technical and vocational education institutions as against the over 700 senior high schools, adding that past governments had paid only lip service to that sector of training.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo made the remarks when the principal and past teachers of the Akwatia Technical Training Institute called on him at his office on Tuesday to brief him on the state of the school.
According to Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, the government of the National Democratic Congress(NDC) recognizes the essence of technical and vocational training in building a vibrant economy, therefore had indicated in the party's manifesto to build at least one such institution in every district during its four years in office.
The Regional Minister who was a former teacher at the school said the neglect of technical and vocational training institutions had only slowed the pace of Ghana's development when even "tooth pick is being imported".
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo cited the Donkorkrom Technical Institute, which he said had become a white elephant, as one of the many sorry states of a neglected aspect of education and the old syllabus being used in this modern technology age.
Mr Alfred Forster, the principal of Akwatia Technical Institute said the major challenge facing the school was electricity supply and connectivity to Information Communication Technology (ICT), which he said was necessary for the modern training of the technical subjects.
He also said the boarding house facility that was initially built to accommodate only 20 students was now housing over 170 boys and needed urgent expansion to be able to meet the institute's enrolment.