Pastor undertakes a vocational education and training fact-finding trip

Daniel Ayembilla from Ghana is of the firm view that those who can should help themselves, both in Europe and West Africa. He has been looking around schools in the Vogtland region.

Daniel Ayembilla is a pastor who is in overall charge of 230 private schools run by a Christian organisation in Ghana. He is currently touring the Vogtland region near Germany's northern border with the Czech Republic in order to familiarise himself with the topic of vocational education and training.

His fact-finding mission is somewhat hindered by the fact that he does not speak any German, and the absence of any German-style vocational education and Training (VET) in Ghana also means that he is in uncharted territory. Pastor Ayembilla began his trip by visiting the Lutheran School in Schöneck and the Kolping School in Plauen.

His mission is to establish something resembling dual vocational education and training at further education schools in Ghana. In other words, he is seeking company involvement in training. "We want to offer people assistance at a local level so that they can achieve things for themselves. This is completely different to just giving someone a food hand-out."

He believes that people should be able to earn a living from their work. At the same time, this would help tackle the high unemployment rate in Ghana. He is also sure that it would help counter the level of criminality in the country. In addition, empowering people in this way would bring an end to heteronomy.

By visiting schools in the area, Pastor Ayembilla has learned a great deal about cooperation with companies in the form of provision such as practical placements or vocational guidance. In Ghana, anyone wanting to become a bricklayer simply learns the trade by spending a year accompanying a bricklayer. There is no standardised training of the type which exists in Germany.

For this reason, Daniel Ayembilla is now seeking to develop training programmes. The next step needs to involve putting specific prerequisites in place at the relevant institutions. The schools he manages are presently attended by children and young people aged between five and 18. The organisation also includes an orphanage.