Ministry of Education holds stakeholders’ workshop on GEOP

By Solomon Gumah

Tamale, Nov. 02, GNA – The Ministry of Education has held an implementation planning and consultative stakeholders’ workshop and fourth quarterly review meeting on the Ghana Education Outcomes Project (GEOP). 

The two-day workshop, held in Tamale, brought together stakeholders in the education sector including some learners under the GEOP to conduct a review of the project after two years of implementation. 

The workshop provided the platform for some of the learners to demonstrate their reading abilities to the stakeholders and partners in their mother tongues and also showcased a play on the importance of education. 

The project is a collaborative initiative between the Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP) being implemented in partnership with some NGOs including School for Life, Plan International Ghana with funding support from the Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office and the World Bank. 

The Ministry of Education designed the project to among others support out-of-school children in districts, which have the highest number out-of-school children to transition into mainstream formal education and improve learning targeting literacy and numeracy improvement at the end of primary grade two and four. 

Hajia Nana Fatima High, GEOP Coordinator, speaking during the workshop, said it was to critically assess the impact of the project after two years of implementation, share timelines and reporting for cohort three. 

She said it was also to provide the platform for service providers to give a summary presentation from the project and to strategise to improve on the implementation of the cohort three programme. 

Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education, whose speech was read on his behalf by Nana Baffour Awuah, Director of Pre-Tertiary Education at the Ministry of Education, said the Ministry was implementing the GEOP to give school drop-out a second chance to achieve their dreams. 

He presented six motorbikes to GEOP facilitators, who won the award scheme instituted by the Minister for Education for distinguished service providers in the communities such as School for Life, Rising Education Outcomes Partnership, Plan International Ghana, and Ghana Transformed Partnership to encourage learning outcomes. 

The award for lot one was received by Mr Nobob Matthew of Nanyuni in the Karaga District, lot two went to Mr Yajabrun Mark of Quarterpe in the Kpandai District, lot three went to Mr Ibrahim Issah of Song in the Kumbungu District, lot four went to Mr Adam Wumbla of Sayoo in the West Mamprusi Municipality, Mr Done John was the winner for lot five in Dongekura in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District whilst Madam Mercy Ayinboanyo at AKwesi Addai in the Krachi West District, won the lot six category. 

As part of the awards package, the Ministry of Education would also support learners with 35,000 school uniforms to support their transition into mainstream schools. 

Hajia Katumi Natogmah Attah, Northern Regional Director of Education, said the GES in partnership with other relevant stakeholders played a pivotal role in building the capacities of teachers and facilitators, which had resulted in the positive learning outcomes recorded in the schools, especially in underserved communities. 

She called for more support to ensure that the cohort three under the project was successful in reducing the rate of illiteracy in the country. 

GNA