Bamboo Technology As A Sustainable Vocation For Senior High School Visual Arts Graduates In Ghana

Many Senior High School Visual Arts graduates have the problem of practicing Visual Arts after school partly because some are not well equipped with the requisite skill needed for job orientation while others are faced with the difficulty in acquiring the raw material necessary for the production process. However, they end up being unemployed and thereby increasing dependency ration. The study recognizes the identification of interested group of Senior High School Visual Arts graduates and training them the technical and vocational techniques to design and construct bamboo artifacts to be self-reliant. A total of 25 visual arts graduates were painstakingly gathered following the information of 3 month free computer literacy training programme for all visual Arts leavers that was disseminated through notice boards, FM stations and the churches in all the Districts in Assin North and South. The application of a well structured interview guide was substantial to the researchers which deepened the interest of the same group. The Action research method was employed to develop a new skill and solve problems through active participation. An interim comprehensive bamboo syllabus for Senior High School graduates was also designed. Schemes of work and lesson plans were developed to teach units of the syllabus. The training programme was run within six months.  The result of the study indicated that, when the learners were given the technical training skill, they were equipped enough to create high standard bamboo artifacts for both local and external markets.

Besides, it was revealed that skill training must not only be in theory but must be fully backed by practical demonstration.