By Joyce Danso
Accra, Sept. 29, GNA – A 60-million-dollar education activity dubbed, Strengthening Accountability in Ghana’s Education System (SAGES), has been launched in Accra.
Under the five-year activity, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will partner with the Ministry of Education to improve accountability and transparency in the education sector.
The activity is expected to improve primary education in 17 districts in four regions of Ghana and 1,254 schools and communities and 508,269 pupils are expected benefit across the country.
Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, a Deputy Minister of Education, who performed the launch, said the anchor of SAGES activity would rely on the frontliners in the education sector and called for teamwork among agencies.
The Deputy Minister said he was elated that under the activity, $10 million had been allotted to the Ghana Education Service and its key stakeholders to build on a strong education accountability framework.
According to the Deputy Minister, under the activity, accountability was going to be based on data because stakeholders would deploy a diagnostic intervention to address challenges or weakness in Ghana’s Education Sector.
He said well-structured systems would be put in place so that data could be measured, compared, and transformed, following the investments made in the sector.
Rev. Fordjour said before the previous programme by the USAID in 2015, dubbed, Reading Radio Programme and Classroom-based phonics lessons, only two per cent of pupils could read. At the end of the programme in 2021, 50 per cent of pupils at basic two could read fluently.
Madam Kimberly Rosen, USAID Ghana Mission Director, said the launch of the SAGES activities reflected the strong bond between Ghana and the United States of America and their shared commitment to future generations through improved learning for children, good governance, and sustainable development.
Madam Rosen said, “this new activity is a $60-million investment in Ghana’s educations system, which means an investment in Ghana’s future. Of this $60 million, USAID will provide $10million directly to Government of Ghana to support government service delivery at national and district levels.
She said USAID was providing additional support in the form of technical assistance to support the Ministry of Education and other agencies at the national level, as well as supporting over 1,200 primary schools in the Northern Region.
“It is essential that education accountability has an impact on every learner. For that to happen, the Education Accountability Framework must drive change throughout the education system to improve the impact of education delivery.
It would mean that the teacher arrives on time, every day and stays at school all day. He or she is supported by her own community practice, peers who learn and share together…. The head teacher is also supported by School Improvement Support officers. All this support helps the teacher assess students’ progress towards benchmarks.” Ms Rosen said.
She was confident that the USAID -Supported activity would make a significant and lasting impact on Ghana’s Education development.
Mrs Mamle Andrews, Chief Director, Ministry of Education, said the SAGES activity represented a shared commitment of all stakeholders towards every child in the nation.
It also holds stakeholders accountable and ensures that no child is left behind when it comes to quality education. Accountability is the heart of SAGES activity and very teacher will get the required resources to excel when it comes to teaching.”
Madam Rose F. Tchwenko, Country Director, Care International in Ghana, said the role of her organisation was to ensure that no child was left behind.
Madam Tchwenko was optimistic that the investment made under SAGES yield dividends for generations to come.
The USAID/ Ghana SAGES activity has two components. The first component provides support to the Ministry of Education Accountability Framework nationally and citizen engagement in 17 selected districts in four regions.
Under the second component, a system strengthening activity would be led by Care International in Ghana in the 17 districts.
GNA