21,103 out-of-school children transitioned into mainstream school

About 21,103 out-of-school Children (OOSC) across the country have been integrated into mainstream schools after completing intensive literacy and numeracy training in their mother tongues as part of the Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) intervention.  

The intervention formed part of the Ghana Education Outcomes Project (GEOP) designed to train, reintegrate and retain out-of-school children, as well as improve learning outcomes in schools.

Initiated by the Ministry of Education, the three-year project is being implemented by Plan International Ghana with funding from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).

Graduation

At a brief ceremony to usher the children into formal schools at Walewale, the Director for Pre-Tertiary at the Ministry of Education, Nana Baffour-Awuah indicated that the learners were taken through rigorous training, baseline and end-line assessments to measure their knowledge levels for six weeks.

"Having completed all assessments, all 21,103 learners have passed the cohort two accelerated learning programmes and as such, have acquired the instructional training outlined in the Complementary Basic Education (CBE) policy and are transitioning into mainstream schools," he said.

He said the project was targeting the integration of about 70,000 children out-of-school into the mainstream educational system, adding that about 38,443 learners have benefited from the intervention for the past two years.

To ensure continuity and retention, Mr Baffour-Awuah said the ministry would continue to support the children with teaching and learning materials to enable them to stay in school.

However, he advised parents to take their children's education seriously by ensuring that they remain in school to enable them to become responsible persons in future.

Increase enrolment

For her part, the National Coordinator of GEOP, Hajia Nana Fatima High, pointed out that many children were not in school because of financial difficulties but the GEOP had come to ease the burden of parents through the enrolment of the children in school.

She added that "we will provide the schoolchildren with learning materials to enable them to stay in school".

The North East Regional Director of Education, Simon Amokase Anane said one of the most notable impacts of the project in the region had been the increase in school enrolment and attendance rates.

Additionally, he said the teachers had received training and support to enhance their skills and competencies which had improved educational outcomes.

The Northern Regional Programmes Manager of Plan International Ghana, Sulemana Gbana Hor, said through the intervention, teachers had been equipped with the tools to improve teaching quality and learning outcomes in 239 schools.

Writer’s email:mohammed.fugu@graphic.com.gh