The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Service, in partnership with the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), has launched a Green Innovation Competition aimed at fostering creativity, sustainability, and environmental responsibility among young people in technical institutions.
The event, which took place at the Kumasi Technical Institute (KTI), brought together nine selected schools from the Ashanti Region under the theme: “Let’s Make Our School Cleaner With Our Own Hands.” The competition is part of a broader effort to empower students to design and implement eco-friendly projects that directly respond to pressing environmental challenges such as poor waste management, climate change, and the need for renewable energy solutions.
Addressing the media after the competition, the Ashanti Regional Director of TVET, Ing. Richard Addo Gyamfi, underscored the initiative’s significance. He noted that environmental degradation remains one of the biggest threats to sustainable development, and engaging young people in innovative problem-solving was a step towards building resilience. “This competition is about empowering our students not only to think critically but to take action in creating sustainable solutions for their communities,” Ing. Gyamfi stated.
On her part, Miss Isabella Annan, Development Adviser for GIZ, explained that GIZ’s involvement reflects its broader commitment to sustainable development and capacity building in Ghana’s education sector. She said the contest was designed to encourage practical learning and to help students see themselves as key drivers of positive environmental change. “We believe young people have the creativity and energy to transform their environment. Supporting TVET in this competition is our way of ensuring that schools become centers of innovation and sustainability,” she said.
Adding to this, Mr. Jones Opoku Frimpong, Environmental Coordinator for KTI, highlighted the long-term benefits of the contest. He explained that beyond the competition, the projects and skills developed would influence how schools manage their environment and shape students’ lifelong attitudes towards green living. “The enthusiasm we have seen today proves that if given the right support, our students can come up with solutions that directly address waste and sanitation problems in their schools and communities,” he remarked.
The Green Innovation Competition also served as a platform for students to showcase prototypes, models, and practical demonstrations of their ideas, ranging from waste recycling initiatives to renewable energy applications. Organizers noted that the event would be sustained and expanded to cover more schools in the coming years, ensuring that the message of sustainability spreads across the country’s technical and vocational institutions.
The initiative reflects Ghana’s broader agenda of integrating environmental awareness into technical education while equipping students with hands-on skills to confront global sustainability challenges.
