Ghana TVET students to run real businesses in schools as new enterprise project launches in Kumasi

Students in 25 technical schools across the Ashanti Region will now run actual businesses as part of their entrepreneurship classes — not just write business plans.

The Ghana TVET Service and UK-based RANT Academy launched the School Enterprise Project in Kumasi on Monday. The idea's simple: make entrepreneurship practical by letting students set up and manage small-scale businesses within their schools.

“We want to make the teaching and learning of entrepreneurship very practical,” said Richard Addo-Gyamfi, Ashanti Regional Director of the Ghana TVET Service. He told journalists at the launch that participating schools have been directed to create student entrepreneurship clubs and develop businesses based on their local environment.

Each school is expected to identify business opportunities that match the strengths and weaknesses of their community. Students will get hands-on experience running those enterprises.

Out of 38 TVET institutions in the Ashanti Region, 25 are taking part in the pilot phase. The programme's designed to bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world enterprise.

Addo-Gyamfi said TVET education in Ghana is seeing a surge in enrolment over the past five years. Some schools are now struggling with capacity because more students want skills-based training. He described this as a sign that attitudes are shifting away from the old view that TVET's for less academically inclined students.

“We are now in the 21st century, an era defined by skills, and this is where employment opportunities lie,” he added.

Lizzy Lambie, Founder and Programmes Director of RANT Academy, said Ghanaian youth have strong entrepreneurial spirit but need to shift their mindset toward building sustainable local enterprises. She noted that when the programme started, students’ first request was to be taken to the UK to work after graduation.

“I told them that with the skills they have and the resources available in Ghana, they could achieve much more for themselves at home,” Lambie said.

She acknowledged that many young people already run small businesses, but urged them to scale these into structured enterprises that can compete in national and international markets.

RANT Academy also introduced the “Rant Passport” digital platform at the event. It allows TVET students to upload profiles, work experience, and video-based CVs showcasing practical projects. Employers can use the platform to assess students’ competencies more effectively.

At the end of the launch, outstanding students and facilitators involved in the entrepreneurship clubs received citations and plaques.

The organisers say the initiative is expected to strengthen practical skills training, reduce graduate unemployment, and promote youth-led enterprise development across the country.

“We want to make the teaching and learning of entrepreneurship very practical. That's why the RANT School Enterprise Project is being rolled out.” — Richard Addo-Gyamfi, Ashanti Regional Director, Ghana TVET Service