The Ghana Education Outcome Project (GEOP) was launched by President Akufo-Addo at a special ceremony in Accra. The project aims to improve learning outcomes in over 600 schools in 29 districts, as well as returning 70,000 out-of-school children back into the classroom.
Held under the theme "Getting all children educated through support to schools and communities," the launch attracted various education-related stakeholders, including the World Bank, High Commissioners, Non-Governmental Agencies, Agencies under the Education Ministry, and Metropolitan/Municipal and District Chief Executives.
In his address read for the President, Mr. Yaw Osafo Marfo, a Senior Presidential Advisor, lauded the World Bank for its support towards the country's development. He explained that the government had signed a financing agreement with the World Bank on 21st June 2020, attesting to the government's commitment to providing the best education for the country.
The President said that the 70,000 children would undergo a nine-month program known as the Complementary Basic Education (CBE), a robust accelerated learning program that would train the children in basic literacy and numeracy skills. The President also expressed hope that the GEOP would enhance education development in the country, building on the significant gains made in the education sector over the years.
Dr. Scherezad Latif, the Education Practice Manager of the World Bank in charge of West and Central Africa, praised the government, the Education Ministry, and its agencies for demonstrating ownership of the GEOP. She pledged to continue working hard to ensure that the project meets its target goals for the development of the nation's education.
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Education Minister, was optimistic that the project would be executed by all stakeholders to ensure that all Ghanaian children could receive education for the good of the country and the rest of the world. He also praised the GEOP Coordinator, Nana Fatima High, for her effort towards the commencement of the project, which would go a long way to enhance educational development in the country.
The government has partnered with the Foreign Commonwealth Development Organization (FCDO) to make education equitable by bringing children back into the classroom. The partnership seeks to improve the quality of education in Ghana's low-performing basic schools and strengthen education sector equity and accountability through the GEOP. The project is funded by a US$25.5 million FCDO grant through the Global Partnership for Results-Based Approaches Trust Fund (GPRBA-TF) and a counterpart funding of US$4.5 million by the government of Ghana.
With the launch of the GEOP, Ghana is poised to take a significant step towards improving the quality of education and ensuring that every child has access to quality education.
