THE IMPACT OF THE DECLINE OF THE GHANAIAN TEXTILE INDUSTRY ON TEXTILE EDUCATION IN GHANA

ABSTRACT

There has been persistent, drastic decline of the Textile Industry in Ghana which i s awfully affecting the study of textiles in Ghanaian Textiles education institutions. Upon this foundation, the  study sought to examine and discuss the impact of the decline o f Ghana’s textile industry on textiles education in Ghana. The objectives of the study among others were to identify and document the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities of t he Ghanaian Textile Industry, problems that are endangering the Ghanaian textiles industry and how they are affecting Textile Education in Ghana. The population for the study consisted of students, lecturers and he ads of departments of selected textiles education institutions in Ghana as w ell a s operatives in Ghana textile factories. The methodology employed was the qualitative  approach and the descriptive survey. Observation and interviews were the research instruments used to gather data. The main findings were that protracted labour unrest in the textile industry, poor attitude of factory workers and state officials on textiles, smuggling of textiles, under-declared imports, and copied brands by foreign companies and high cost of textiles production have contributed to the current declining stage of the industry; and has also contributed adversely to the reduction of the intake of textile students in textile education institutions. The study then recommends among others that the government of Ghana invests massively in the local textile industry by giving bailouts for the acquisition of new machinery, human resource and manpower development, the provision o f laboratories and equipment to enhance teaching to make the textiles graduate marketable.