Accra: Children Believe Ghana has expressed gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for their significant contributions towards enhancing Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Ghana's North East Region.
According to Ghana News Agency, the support is being channeled through the $2.14 million Quality and Inclusive Early Childhood Education Services for All Children Phase II (QAIECE II) project. This initiative is focused on improving access to quality and inclusive early childhood education services. The project is spearheaded by ChorogUsan for Children and jointly executed by Children Believe Ghana and AG Care Ghana.
The commendation was voiced at a Regional Stakeholders' Engagement forum on ECE, convened in Nalerigu, which brought together over 40 participants, including representatives from the Ghana Education Service (GES), Ghana Health Service (GHS), Department of Social Welfare, the Regional Coordinating Council, East and West Mamprusi Municipal Assemblies, headteachers, development partners, and other stakeholders. The forum aimed to review progress, address emerging challenges, and align advocacy priorities to improve access, quality, and inclusivity in early childhood education across the region.
Madam Esenam Kavi De Souza, Country Director, Children Believe Ghana, highlighted the organization's long-standing commitment to advancing educational opportunities for children, noting that they have invested in educational programs nationwide for more than three decades. She expressed deep appreciation for KOICA's support in implementing the QAIECE project, emphasizing the critical nature of investing in children's formative years.
Madam De Souza invoked Irish poet William Butler Yeats, stating, "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire," to underscore the project's foundational importance. She stressed that without a strong educational foundation, subsequent investments in children's education may not yield the desired outcomes.
With KOICA's backing, the project has successfully enhanced access to quality kindergarten education, completing 14 fully furnished modern kindergarten facilities across the East and West Mamprusi Municipalities, with three more under construction. Additional project contributions include the provision of 16,876 workbooks for kindergarten pupils, digital equipment for six target schools, five boreholes, and the training of 136 teachers in the new kindergarten curriculum and ICT.
The project's target is to reach 122,211 pupils, comprising 59,186 males and 63,025 females across 30 communities in the region. A baseline study conducted for QAIECE Phase II revealed that while significant progress has been made in child development, gaps remain, particularly in literacy and socio-emotional skills.
Stakeholders addressed several challenges impacting ECE delivery, such as overcrowded classrooms, under-age enrollment, inadequate furniture, and teacher shortages. Solutions proposed included enforcing age-appropriate enrollment policies, rationalizing teacher deployment, and enhancing teacher professional development.
Infrastructure and sustainability were also focal points, with commitments from Municipal Assemblies to support schools in securing essential services and community leaders taking responsibility for maintaining ECE infrastructure.
The forum reviewed Year Two implementation plans for QAIECE II, which include further teacher training, the provision of educational materials, and awareness campaigns. A midline survey scheduled for later this year will evaluate progress and identify areas needing additional attention.
Participants reaffirmed their commitment to inclusive education, aiming to ensure that all children, especially the most vulnerable, have access to quality early childhood education services.