Lessons from Ghana: How Tanzania Can Learn from Successful Education Reform

Image

Ghana has been making impressive progress in its goal to bring quality education to every child. From political reform and innovative financing to teacher skills development and community-driven initiatives, a range of methods have been tested and scaled up by the Government and its development partners.

So how can Tanzania learn from this work as its ministries, Local Government Authorities, schools and communities collaborate on creating safe, inclusive, quality learning environments?

Last year, the Shule Bora team supported staff from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), the President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), and the Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) to travel to Ghana with the aim of learning more about their successful education initiatives.

This blog outlines the key findings from our Ghana trip and possible action points for Tanzania.

Multi-level Political Commitment: Ghana’s education reforms are underpinned by robust commitment throughout all layers of the system – from the highest levels of government to local communities. Widespread support ensures that reforms are implemented effectively and sustained over time. This collective effort has been reinforced by Acts of Parliament, which provide a legal framework for the reforms.

Innovative Financing: Innovative financing strategies ensure a steady stream of funding for educational resources and development in Ghana, including tax initiatives. Ghana has also effectively leveraged Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to mobilise additional resources and expertise to support education – from the construction of school infrastructure to the implementation of educational programmes.

Curriculum Development and Assessment: The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) oversees the development and assessment of a relevant national curriculum that is aligned with international standards. It involves key stakeholders and international reviewers to maintain high-quality educational content.

Comprehensive Teacher Professional Development (CPD): Teachers are required to participate in at least 12 CPD courses over four years, covering content specialisation, general pedagogy, and specialised pedagogical skills. The National Teaching Council (NTC) ensures that teachers’ professional growth is aligned with national standards. An online teacher portal manages CPD records and provides access to training materials, enhancing the effectiveness of this system.

Effective Quality Assurance: The establishment of a dedicated school-based quality assurance system in Ghana ensures that external teams conduct clinical, supportive visits to schools , identifying and addressing barriers to effective teaching and learning. This system ensures that schools maintain high standards and continuously strive for improvement.

Teacher Licensing and Standards. The NTC has a robust framework for teacher licensing and professional standards, including their National Teacher Standards, contributing to the overall quality of education.

Integration of Technology: Initiatives that integrate technology into the education system have meant that all schools and learners have greater access to quality learning resources. For example, Ghana has provided tablets to students and laptops to teachers. Importantly, offline learning technologies – like the iBox system, which includes audio-visual materials and interactive practical activities  – have also been distributed to ensure that even those in areas with limited internet connectivity can benefit from digital learning tools.

90-90-90 Strategy: This community-driven initiative aims to improve the transition of students from basic education to tertiary education through ambitious targets: 90% of children at age 10 should be able to read and write meaningfully; 90% of Junior High School students should progress to Senior High School; and 90% of Senior High School students should transition to tertiary education. This strategy fosters a culture of excellence and accountability within schools and communities.

Teacher Motivation: A teacher award system recognises and motivates outstanding educators, which encourages teachers to strive for higher standards and contribute to the professional development of their peers. This includes national and international awards, such as the Global Teacher Prize and the Africa Teacher Prize.

Collaboration with Partners. Ghana’s education reforms have benefited from collaboration with international partners, including development agencies, NGOs, and other countries. These partnerships have provided technical support, funding, and expertise, helping to implement and sustain various educational initiatives. They also enable knowledge sharing on best practice and drive further improvements in education.

The Shule Bora programme has a significant opportunity to learn from many of the innovative practices observed in Ghana and drive change in Tanzania’s Basic Education sector. Some ideas that require further exploration include:

  • Strengthen community engagement in education.
  • Unify teacher training methods, establish clear standards, and improve monitoring by improving collaboration among CPD stakeholders.
  • Support existing teacher CPD, rather than creating a new system.
  • Use the Education Programme for Results (EPforR) approach to explore potential Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) to enhance and digitise CPD.

The Ghana trip provided invaluable insights for Tanzania’s education reforms. The exchange of ideas and experiences highlighted the potential for collaborative efforts to enhance educational outcomes in both countries. The delegation’s findings will inform Tanzania’s strategies to improve its education system, ensuring that it meets the needs of its learners and supports national development.