The Ministry of Education has secured a $180 million funding to strengthen foundational learning in basic schools.
It is part of efforts to address persistent literacy and numeracy gaps at the early stages of education.
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, who disclosed this, indicated that the fund was sourced through the Jacobs Foundation, in collaboration with the World Bank.
He said the funding would be deployed through the Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Programme (GALOP), and the Ghana Education Outcomes Project, with civil society organisations playing key roles in its implementation and monitoring.
“Foundational learning is the key to the success of secondary and tertiary education. If a child gets it right early, you can predict a productive and successful life,” he said.
Forum
Mr Iddrisu was speaking at a national stakeholders’ forum on Social Inclusion in Basic Education held in Tamale on the theme: “Building inclusive societies through education: The role of national and sub-national actors.”
It was organised in partnership with the Ghana Developing Communities Association (GDCA), and YEFL-Ghana, under a citizen-led actions for education accountability and responsiveness (CLEAR) project.
The project is being implemented in six districts. They are Tatale–Sanguli and Nanumba North in the Northern Region; North East Gonja in the Savannah Region; Wa West in the Upper West Region; Talensi district in the Upper East Region; and the East Mamprusi municipality in the North East Region.
The project, among other things, seeks to build and sustain advocacy around issues of quality and equity in basic education by working and collaborating with other relevant stakeholders and citizen groups.
Curriculum reforms
Mr Iddrisu said that the funding would complement ongoing curriculum reforms aimed at strengthening early learning, particularly at the kindergarten and primary levels.
He added that digital education and digital skills training would also be introduced at the foundational stage to equip pupils with relevant competencies from an early age.
“We want children to grow up as responsible citizens who will not plunder the resources of the state for personal gain, but work for the good of the public,” the minister said.
He further said that as part of efforts to promote inclusive education,13 Ghanaian languages, including sign language, had been approved for instruction in schools.
Foundational weaknesses
The Director of School for Life, Wedad Sayibu, also expressed concerns over foundational weaknesses, saying it threatened sustainable progress in the nation’s education sector.
She cited the Ministry of Education’s Education Sector Performance Report (ESPR), which pointed to chronic underinvestment in early childhood and primary education, where learning deficits often begun.
Ms Sayibu said many kindergarten and primary pupils still studied in dilapidated structures, while multi-grade teaching remained widespread due to teacher shortages, particularly in deprived districts.
She said more than 456,500 children had benefited from a Complementary Basic Education (CBE) programme, with some progressing to the highest levels of academia.
“Our work has transformed lives, empowered families and contributed to national policy reforms that continue to shape Ghana’s education landscape,” Ms Sayibu said.
She explained that the project not only transitioned out-of-school children (OOSC) into formal education but also supported their retention and learning outcomes in mainstream schools.
For her part, a Development Consultant, Ms Baviina Safia Musah, highlighted persistent disparities between urban and rural education outcomes.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh