Training and Retraining Programme Component of the National Unemployment Insurance Scheme Under the Ghana Cares “Obaatan Pa” Programme

BACKGROUND

In the Mid-Year Review of the 2020 Budget and Economic Policy, Government announced two initiatives to address the employment impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first of the initiative was a decision to establish a National Unemployment Insurance Scheme (NUIS). The second was a decision to establish a training and retraining programme to offer special training services for workers who had lost their employment because of the pandemic.

When fully established, the NUIS will provide income support to workers who become unemployed involuntarily (through no fault of theirs). The scheme will also provide re-employment services such as training and job search assistant to qualified beneficiaries.  Training and retraining will be a key component of the NUIS. The idea will be to preserve and upgrade the skills of the unemployed and increase their chances of securing a new job in the shortest possible time.

Preparations for the establishment of the NUIS including stakeholder consultations, actuarial analysis, and legal drafting of an NUIS Act are on-going.

Partnership Council (a tripartite body with representatives from Government, Organised Labour and Employers) decided to frontload the training and retraining component of the NUIS as part of the Ghana CARES ‘Obaatan Pa’ programme, which is government’s blueprint for post COVID-19 recovery and transformation.  

OBJECTIVE OF THE TRAINING AND RETRAINING PROGRAMME

The Training and Retraining Programme is aimed at preserving and upgrading the human capital and skills of workers who lost their employment because of the pandemic. It is expected to boost workers prospects for re-entry into productive employment at higher levels of productivity or performance.

PROGRAMME CONTENT

The Training and Retraining Programme is focused on skills upgrading, work ethics, productivity and attitudinal change. It emphasizes vocational, and technical and professional training and retraining.

• Workers who take up the offer have two options:
  • The first option is for workers who have the requirement and capacity to pursue existing academic programmes/courses available in the various training institutions.
  • These programmes are of longer durations usually between 6 and 12 months.
  • The second option is the core competency-based training programmes primarily for workers who do not have the capacity nor the time to pursue long duration academic programmes/courses.
  •  By their nature the competency-based courses are of shorter duration and also have greater practical components.
  • All programmes/courses are adjusted with add-ons that address the issues of work ethics, productivity and attitudinal change.
     

SECTORS COVERED

The pilot phase of the programme targets workers in two main sectors, namely, Tourism & Hospitality Sector, and Private Education Sector). These sectors were most affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The second phase of the Training and Retraining Programme will cover workers in all sectors of the Ghanaian economy. This phase will coincide with the establishment of the National Unemployment Insurance Scheme.
 

MODE OF TRAINING

The training retraining will be delivered through combinations of face-to-face and virtual/online platforms.

FUNDING

Government is funding the cost of the training and retraining programme. Government will pay the fees for 15,000 workers who enrol in the programme.

For further information on the Training and Retraining programme and the application process, kindly visit the NUIS and Training and Retraining website: nuis.mofep.gov.gh