In spite of the government of Ghana’s strong policy commitments to the kindergarten sector, it continues to face challenges of access and quality. The needs at this level are significant:
- 355,000 four and five year old children (25.2%) are not attending school
- Almost half of all kindergarten teachers have never received any formal training
- Learning materials are in such short supply that there are only enough materials for one workbook between three children
Source: Ministry of Education, Ghana, 2013
Kindergarten school infrastructure is grossly inadequate:
- 41% of schools lack toilets
- 55% of schools have no access to drinking water
- There are only enough desks and chairs for 50% of pupils
Those children lucky enough to be in school experience a rote-based style of teaching that only succeeds in drilling them to repeat words without understanding their meaning, and does little to promote independent thought and self-confidence.
However, it does not have to remain this way. The Ghanaian Ministry of Education’s recently published Operational Plan to Scale up Quality Kindergarten Education Nationwide offers a strategy to introduce a new approach to teaching and learning, which is child-centred, activity-based and recognises the value of play in early years.
The Sabre Trust is firmly committed to supporting the Ghana Education Service in delivering this Operational Plan, and changing the way that the youngest Ghanaians begin their education. It will be at least a decade before the fruits of these labours are seen in improved exam results and school completion rates, but like the Ghana Education Service, we believe that this change must begin in the early years.