HTU urges single mothers, female adults to enrol in career programmes

The Dean of Students’ Affairs of Ho Technical University (HTU), Professor Elizabeth Obinnim, has urged single mothers and female adults to take advantage of mature courses at the university to acquire lucrative careers and earn decent incomes.

“Childbirth and age are no barriers to further studies,” she said.

Professor Obinnim was presenting a paper on ‘Learning of trade/apprenticeship,’ at Adaklu-Torda in the Adaklu District of the Volta Region last Tuesday (March 4) at a durbar held by the Gender Affairs Unit of HTU to mark this year’s International Women’s Day.

The celebration was on the theme: “Beyond joining the train: Accelerating action on embracing gender equitable leadership”.

“In a world where university degrees are often touted as the ultimate goal, we forget that there are many other ways to acquire skills, knowledge and expertise,” said Professor Obinnim.

She said trade and apprenticeship programmes at HTU offered a unique opportunity for heads-on learning, practical experience and direct entry into the workforce.

She pointed out that the nation needed skilled workers to fix homes and cars, cook meals, do hair, repair shoes, do make-up for weddings and other grand events and provide essential services, saying that HTU had sponsorship packages for those programmes.

“We need people who are proficient in trades, who can solve problems and who can adapt to new technologies,” the dean of students said.

In a contribution, a Lecturer at the School of Marketing, Dr Francis Nutsugah, urged parents to monitor their children to identify their natural talents and encourage them to develop them.

“Do not force your children into professions they are not interested in,” he advised.

A public health nurse at the HTU Clinic, Gloria Dzah, advised parents to talk openly to their daughters about the dangers of unprotected sex, saying the lack of adequate education was largely the cause of teenage pregnancies.

The durbar ended with a presentation of admissions criteria, funding opportunities at HTU and a donation of books to children in the community by the HTU team.