DRAFT TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND ...

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15-24 year group. The level of unemployment drops to single digit for both male and female
from 35 years and above. The magnitude of the youth unemployment problem is echoed in
the Education Sector Performance Report 2008 that “Youth constitute the majority of the
unemployed, although they make up only 18 percent of the total population and 37 percent of
the economically active population” (MoESS, 2008, p. 137)
Table 3.7 Unemployment by Age Groups, 2000
Age Group Both Sexes Male Female
15 – 19 17.0 17.0 17.0
20 – 24 19.1 18.7 19.5
25 – 29 14.2 13.8 14.7
30 – 34 9. 9 9.3 10.4
35 – 39 7.8 7.5 8.1
Source: Ghana Statistical Service (2005). Population Data Analysis Report, Volume 1:
Socio-Economic and Demographic Trends, p. 105.
Approximately one million people responded during the nationwide registration of the
unemployed and underemployed in 2001 (Nsowaah-Nuamah & Amankrah as cited in Ghana
Statistical Services, 2007, p. 73). The profiles of those registered are summarized in Table
3.8. An astonishing 66.3% of the females who registered had completed basic education but
were unable to continue or complete “pre-tertiary post basic”. This category of females also
constituted roughly 66% of the total number of people registered. Under-employment among
females is visible on the streets and in the open markets of the big cities in Ghana. Hundreds
of women sell very small quantities of items such as oranges, second-hand clothes, toys,
biscuits, bread, apples, sachet water, and the like wherever there is human traffic, including
road construction sites and vehicle toll collection points. One can conclude from the figures
in Table 3.8 that unemployment/underemployment has a great deal to do with illiteracy, early
dropping out of school or not having any skill training.
Table 3.8 Profiles of the Unemployed Youth in Ghana’s Labour Market, 2001 (Percentages
Category of Unemployed Male Female Total
Illiterate, due to early drop out of school or no
schooling at 20.8 23.2 21.6
Have acquired some skill through some vocational
training, especially apprenticeship but need
6.6 3.5 4.7
retraining
Have completed at least basic education but unable
to enter or complete pre-tertiary post basic 2.3 66.3 65.8
Have completed Senior Secondary School but
unable to go further due to failure in English, Maths
and Science at SSSCE
Graduates from universities and polytechnics,
majority first time job seekers without the required
work experience
1.6 5.2 4.7
2.8 0.6 1.2
Street youth, including Kayayei who live, sleep and
work on the streets and others 2.8 2.2 2.5
Total 100.p 100.0 100.0
Number 524,028 378,437 903,437
Source: Nsowaah-Nuamah and Amankrah (as cited in Ghana Statistical Service, 2007, p. 74)