EDUCATION SECTOR ANNUAL REVIEW 2005

1. EDUCATION SECTOR ANNUAL REVIEW 2005 Outcome of Quality of Education Thematic Group Meeting

2. General observations • Preliminary report is generally good, detailed and MOES is recommended for the work • Each component begins with the policy area under ESP and this is laudable • Suggestions for improvement • So much information has been condensed. Report could be made more user-friendly if separate summaries, constituting thematic areas, were produced. • Timely distribution of preliminary report is proposed • The link between the AESOP 2005-2007 and preliminary report appears weak. Issues in AESOP are either missing from report or require searching.

3. General observations 4. There is sometimes difficulty understanding comparisons that are made e.g. the comparisons are made over different base years (e.g. sometimes comparing two, sometimes three years) 5. Report can be more consistent and spell out clearly which sectors are targeted, e.g. unclear if performance is for public or private sector institutions. 6. Next report should make distinction between BECE performance for public and private schools 7 Targets and achievements could also be made more concrete. This could be put in table form (like the matrix circulated) to aid understanding

4. General observations 8. Report places much emphasis on input indicators as against outcome. E.G. number of teachers trained as against teacher delivery. 9. Achievement under national PTR (i.e. 34.9:1) within the period is of much interest but hides a wide range, e.g. very low and very high PTR. Need for a breakdown of areas with very low or very high PTR.

5. General observations 10. AESOP target for developing a teacher incentive package, effective accountable system and language policy have not been achieved but report is silent over these issues. 11. Less prominence is given to the role of supervision in ensuring quality education 12. Data on teachers benefiting from INSET refers only to training organized at national level. Next report should highlight INSETs organized at regional, district and local levels 13. Every school is expected to have library facility attached. So far very little progress has been made but report is silent over this.

6. General observations 14. Report only provides bulk figure of children benefiting from school feeding. Next report should contain specifics on areas, beneficiaries and the possible effect of such interventions 15. We agree that the target for getting all basic school teachers trained in HIV / AIDS curricula appears too ambitious and therefore target should be reviewed

7. Key recommendations for Quality Issues, AESOP and Budget Allocation

8. Recommendations for: • Assessment and Examination • PTR • Teacher Education • Curriculum Development • Teaching / Learning Materials • Supervision • Health, Environment and HIV/AIDS • "Others"

9. Assessment and Examination Examination System for basic education has been initiated by CRDD / BECAS Project and would be completed by end of 2005. Assessment system for second cycle needs to be initiated and completed under AESOP in 2006. Recommendation: AESOP 2006 would include nationwide sensitization programme of education personnel / other stakeholders on NEA, SEA and CA with a view on requirements to change teaching style and overall approach to teaching; activity would continue in 2007 Responsibility: CRDD / BECAS Budget would be required for sensitization activities in 2007 as USAID who currently funds development of assessment system, comes to a close end of 2006.

10. Assessment and Examination Education standards for literacy at primary level have been completed. Recommendation: Develop education standards for other subject areas at primary and secondary levels. Responsibility: CRDD / BECAS Budget would be required for sensitization activities in 2007as USAID who currently funds development of assessment system, comes to a close end of 2006.

11. Pupil Teacher Ratio One National PTR average of 1:35 is unpragmatic. Recommendation: PBME should re-assess national PTR; different PTRs should be proposed for different areas (rural, deprived, urban etc.) by December 2005 Responsibility: PBME No budget required

12. Teacher Education Teacher Incentive Policy document still pending. Recommendation: (a) Teachers working in remote areas should be provided with accommodation. (b) When a new school / classroom block is built, teacher accommodation should be part of construction. Responsibility: District Assemblies Additional budget will be required

13. Teacher Education Some schools in deprived areas require teachers with special training for multigrade teaching Recommendation: TED should provide multi-grade teaching skills at pre-service and in-service levels under AESOP. Some activities have already started but need further strengthening. Responsibility: TED Budget will be required for INSET though not for pre-service.

14. Teacher Education The abolition of levies in basic schools will result in higher pupil intake and increasing PTR. This should be backed by increasing budget allocation for the training of more / more skillful teachers Recommendation: Increase INSET activities at district levels in general for all teachers. Pay special attention to training of untrained teachers. This activity shall be conducted in close collaboration with the districts. Responsibility: TED Budget for this under AESOP should be increased

15. Curriculum Development There has not been staff development training for CRDD for a very long time; CRDD is not well equipped to attend to its assignments. Recommendation: Initiate CRDD staff training under AESOP 2006-2007 and improve resources. Responsibility: BECAS / MOES Budget provision should be made to effectively train staff and resource CRDD

16. Teaching and Learning materials All schools would be supplied with all recommended textbooks and teaching aids by September 2005. Recommendation: follow-up book distribution to ensure that books are distributed to schools, released to pupils and used by teachers Responsibility: District Education Offices No special budget requried

17. Supervision Education reform would require more and better trained supervisors as well as better resources. Recommendations: • There is need to review strategies of school supervision as well as the engagement of supervisors and school inspectors. • AESOP 2006 should include activities to properly recruit, build capacity and resource inspectors (e.g. transport, computer equipment etc.) • All Circuit Supervisors should be accommodated and provided with offices in their circuits. Responsibility: MOES, GES, District Assemblies Budget allocation would be required.

18. Health, HIV/AIDS and Environment Need to better coordinate activities of stakeholders (particularly NGOs) in addressing HIV/AIDS issues Recommendation: Need to develop a comprehensive plan for enhancing coordination and collaboration between GES and NGOs. NGO desks at GES should be resourced. Responsibility: GES, MOES, District Education Offices Additional Budget would be required

19. Others Schools seem to be overburdened with activities that are not part of their 'core responsibilities'. Recommendation: To enable schools to fully concentrate on teaching and learning, the Ghana Health Service and community structures such as churches and mosques etc. should be assisting schools in delivering services (e.g. administering school health programmes, de-worming etc.) Responsibility: District Education Offices, SHEP, HIV/AIDAS Secretariat No additional budget required.

20. Others The proposed language policy paper is still pending. Recommendation: PBME of MOES should include the public in discussing the proposed language policy as a means to collecting views towards the development of a credible language policy for the country. Responsibility: District Education Offices, District Authorities, Activity requires budget.

21. Others Education reforms require additional information about the functioning of the education system. Recommendation: Funds under TALIF and GETFUND should be extended to fund research into critical areas of the education reforms Responsibility: Budget for activities would be derived from TALIF

22. Thanks for your attention