Gold Fields, Space FM Medical Outreach Brings Hope to Tarkwa Technical Institute Amidst Infrastructure Struggles

The intervention arrives as the 66-year-old institution grapples with severe infrastructure constraints despite its vital role in providing technical skills to the community.Speaking during the outreach event, sponsored by the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation and organised by Space FM, Madam Asmah emphasised the life-saving potential of the initiative. "This medical outreach will go a long way to help because exactly a year ago, the school lost a student because her condition was not detected early," she stated somberly. "The health screening will help a lot so that any student who has any hidden medical condition will be diagnosed for early treatment."

The Gold Fields Ghana Foundation confirmed a significant investment of GHȼ 400,000 into the comprehensive health screening program.

A Legacy Institution Facing Modern Pressures

Tracing its history from a Women's Training Centre through a Community Development phase to its current status, TTI has evolved over its 66 years. It now offers six core technical courses: Auto Mechanics Engineering, Welding and Fabrication, Electrical Engineering, Catering and Hospitality Management, Fashion and Design, and Building and Construction.

Madam Asmah reiterated the school's core mission: "The aim is to give students trainable skills so that at the end of their course, they will be able to work on their own or look for any job in the industry. All our trainers are what the industry wants."However, this mission is hampered by critical infrastructure deficiencies directly impacting teaching and learning:
Severe Overcrowding: Student population has surged to 730, far exceeding the capacity of facilities originally intended for 300. "We were admitting 300 students with the same building," Asmah noted.

Outdated Facilities: The school's washrooms are described as "outmoded" and remain unchanged since the school's inception.

Furniture Shortage: Students are forced to sit in pairs or on plastic chairs, creating an unconducive learning environment.

Lack of Workshops: Crucially for a technical institute, dedicated workshops for all technical courses are absent. "We are currently using an improvised workshop," Asmah revealed, making a direct plea: "We are therefore pleading to the industries around to come to the aid of Tarkwa Technical Institute because technical is the way to go."

Advocacy for TVET and Gender Inclusion

Madam Asmah passionately advocated for the value of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), directly challenging outdated perceptions. "The notion that one cannot continue education after technical and vocational training is a thing of the past," she declared. Highlighting progress, she pointed out, "These days we have females doing male-dominated programmes such as welding, auto mechanic engineering, etc."

She issued a dual call: encouraging females interested in TVET to enrol and urging parents not to discourage their children, especially daughters, from pursuing technical paths. She stressed the economic empowerment potential: "If we can train many students around Tarkwa Nsuaem municipality and Prestea Huni Valley, the job hunting will stop since the students will be able to establish themselves after schooling."

Gold Fields Foundation: Current Support and Future HopesThe Executive Secretary of the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, Abdul Razak Yakubu, detailed their ongoing relationship with TTI. While noting the school falls outside their direct catchment area, he highlighted past support, including building a classroom block. A visit revealed a critical gap: "Though they had a computer laboratory with a smart board, the laboratory had no single computer." In response, the Foundation announced, "We will therefore hand over 10 computers to the institute in the coming days."

Yakubu also shared a success story: a scholarship beneficiary from a Gold Fields host community, now working in the Catering and Hospitality department at the mine, is an alumnus of TTI.

Looking ahead, Yakubu indicated that technical education infrastructure is a priority once major projects like an upcoming hospital are completed. "We will once again focus on technical education and infrastructure... We will support when it’s within our ambit." However, he clarified the process involves consultation: "We will present it to the board... the chiefs of the host communities, assembly members, municipal assembly... at the consultative committee meeting."

A Call for Collective Action

Both the Headmistress and the Gold Fields representative underscored that supporting TTI requires a united effort. Yakubu concluded, "Education now is a collective effort. The school alone cannot do it, likewise government and parents. Companies around should also come on board to help the school with especially hostels, while the mining companies also support."

The medical outreach provided immediate, potentially life-saving care for TTI students. Yet, Madam Asmah's heartfelt gratitude was coupled with an urgent appeal for partners to help address the fundamental infrastructure challenges threatening the institute's ability to fulfil its vital role in training Ghana's future technical workforce.

Source: Nana Esi Brew Monney

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