By Isaac Arkoh, GNA
Cape Coast, May 07, GNA – Dr Emmanuel Larbi Mantey, the Programme Director of Inspiring Teachers Ghana, a dedicated non-profit organisation committed to elevating teaching standards, had raised serious concerns over persistent gaps in literacy skills across the country.
He mentioned among others key causes including limited access to quality reading materials and overcrowded classrooms that hindered personalised instruction.
These literacy and numeracy deficits, he said, had rippled through society, stunting cognitive development in children, widening economic inequalities and perpetuating cycles of poverty.
Affected individuals, he said often struggled with basic problem-solving, which limited job prospects and civic participation, while overburdening Ghana’s workforce with low-skilled labour amid growing demands.
Dr Mantey disclosed this at a day’s capacity workshop that empowered selected teachers in the Central Region on numeracy and literacy skills.
The forum, held in Cape Coast, brought together key stakeholders including School Improvement Support Officers (SISOs) facilitators, education administrators and representatives from the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service (GES) and the media.
Participants engaged in interactive sessions focused on modern teaching methodologies, classroom management and leveraged technology for inclusive learning, all aimed at addressing persistent challenges like resource shortages and student engagement in rural and urban schools.
It specifically targeted bridging gaps in professional development for frontline educators, turning under-resourced classrooms into hubs of innovation to enhance instructional delivery, fostering collaborative networks among SISOs and administrators, and promoting data-driven school improvements.
Dr Mantey said improving literacy was critical to elevating overall educational outcomes, unlocking higher enrolment rates, boosting critical thinking, and fostering innovation essential for national development.
He reaffirmed Inspiring Teacher’s commitment to rolling out targeted interventions such as phonics-based workshops and mobile reading libraries specifically tailored to foundational stages in early childhood and primary education, where gaps first emerged.
Madam Ruth Annan, Early Childhood Coordinator for GES in Cape Coast, acknowledged marked improvements in literacy levels across the Metropolis and commended Inspiring Teachers Ghana for its pivotal contributions.
That she said underscored the value of collaborative efforts between non-profit organisations and government bodies, validating data-driven programmes that yielded measurable gains and inspired scalable models for other regions.
Mildred Ampadu Nyarko, Programmes Officer with GES headquarters, described the gains Inspiring Teachers had made as a vital positive step towards bolstering basic education outcomes in the area, fostering equitable access to quality learning.
She said it had laid the groundwork for holistic child development that aligned with Ghana’s Sustainable Development Goal on inclusive education.
Edited by Alice Tettey/Benjamin Mensah