A five-year $14.39 million USAID/Ghana Advancing Partnerships for Improved Learning Activity has been launched to support low-cost private schools in rural and disadvantaged communities to improve access and quality learning outcomes.
Under this new Activity, over 52,000 students in more than 213 low-cost private schools in the selected regions would benefit from a quality and inclusive learning environment.
The schools would also receive support to improve quality education through professional development for their leaders, including teacher certification courses, in-service teacher training in the Ministry of Education curriculum.
A total of 1,278 teachers would be supported to earn Diploma in Basic Education, while 2,130 others would receive regular professional development training and coaching to improve their service delivery.
It is being implemented by Opportunity International as Lead Partner, and five sub-awardees, including FHI360, University for Development Studies, Ghana National Council of Private Schools, Ghana National Association of Private Schools, and Results for Development.
The beneficiary regions are Northern, North East, Upper East and Upper West, and some of the 17 beneficiary districts in the regions include Mion, Yendi, Karaga, Mamprugu-Moaduri, East Mamprusi, Bawku, Bawku West, Sisala West, Sisala East, and Nadowli-Kaleo.
Madam Salome Ong’ele, the Chief of Party, USAID/Ghana Advancing Partnerships for Improved Learning Activity, said $3.9 million of the funds, would be invested in education by financial institutions lending to proprietors of the selected schools to improve their services, and to underprevileged families to cater for the educational expenses of their children.
Low-cost private schools in the northern part of the country have challenges hiring and retaining qualified teachers, and school management leaders often lack the range of skills needed to run a sustainable quality educational institution.
Access to loans to invest in their schools was a challenge while payment of fees by parents has remained a huge burden.
Whilst thousands of children attend low-cost private schools in the north, the government was challenged to provide oversight and support to ensure quality education, but this was challenged by the lack of a coherent policy framework to coordinate agencies responsible for low-cost private schools.
Madam Ong’ele said in response to the challenges, the Activity would improve quality education delivered these schools, increase private sector investment at these levels, as well as strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Education and professional networks to support these educational institutions.
Grace Lang, the Acting USAID Mission Director said “Quality education should not depend on where you live or which school you attend. We want every child to have access to a quality education.”
Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister for Education, said the government had invested heavily in transforming low-performing public schools, saying the new Activity was to complement these efforts, by focusing on low-cost private schools, which was good for the country’s education sector.
Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu, the Northern Regional Minister, lauded the initiative saying it would bring about the desired change for the education sector.
Meanwhile, a 41-member Steering Committee made up of 31 Technical Members and 10 Core Members and chaired by the Minister for Education, was sworn in to amongst others, provide education policy and technical guidance towards the implementation of the Activity.
GNA