Ghana doubles down on foundational learning through teacher training
Ghana is intensifying its focus on foundational learning, with the government signalling a commitment to train more teachers in early-grade instruction. Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Clement Apaak stressed that getting the foundation right is critical to improved learning outcomes, a stance reinforced at the launch of the 2025 Foundational Learning Action Tracker (FLAT) in Accra.
FLAT: a national and international collaboration for learning progress
The FLAT tool, developed in collaboration with UNICEF and the Hempel Foundation, serves as a digital monitoring system to shine a light on literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills for children across the country. It is designed to accelerate progress, help Ghana meet its educational goals, and align with the Sustainable Development Goals. Dr Apaak underscored that the tracker provides real-time insights to guide policy and practice at the classroom level.
Curriculum reforms and teacher resource investments
Ghana has reinforced its leadership in foundational learning by reviewing curricula from kindergarten through primary six. The Deputy Minister highlighted that success hinges on strong human resources, with teachers at the forefront of educational outcomes. “The most important resource is the teacher, so we continue to invest in the training of teachers for positive outcomes,” he said.
Among the strategic moves is enabling teachers to use the mother tongue for instruction from kindergarten to primary three, a policy aimed at improving comprehension and engagement in the earliest years. In March, President Mahama launched the “Teacher Dabre” initiative to boost rural education through incentives, better infrastructure, and housing plans for teachers in underserved areas. The plan includes a 20% allowance for teachers in deprived communities and a commitment to include teacher housing in all new basic schools—measures designed to encourage postings to rural districts and raise teaching quality.
Addressing rural gaps and retention through incentives
Policy makers hope these incentives will translate into more stable rural postings and higher retention of qualified teachers. The government argues that improving working conditions, alongside professional development, is essential to widen access to quality foundational learning. The FLAT data will also help identify where training and resources are most needed, enabling targeted support for teachers and students alike.
Global perspective on learning poverty and investment needs
UNICEF’s Dr Pia Rebello Bristol noted that the FLAT framework targets five core action areas: reaching every child and keeping them in school, assessing learning levels, prioritising the teaching of fundamentals, increasing instructional efficiency, and promoting psychosocial health and well-being. The 2025 FLAT findings draw on data from 124 low- and middle-income countries. They reveal that while many nations have sustained efforts, progress must accelerate to ensure all children learn to read and do basic mathematics.
The World Bank has warned that learning poverty can carry a costly future price, with a potential impact of up to 10% of a country’s future GDP due to a less skilled workforce. In this context, Ghana’s commitment to foundational learning investment is positioned as a strategic move to safeguard economic potential while uplifting individual learner outcomes.
A call to action for sustained investment
Anders Holm, CEO of the Hempel Foundation, emphasised that foundational skills are the bedrock of a child’s potential. He urged governments to move beyond policy declarations and translate commitments into action—most notably through expanded teacher training and sturdy support for educators in all regions, including rural communities. The Accra launch signals a broader push to align national efforts with global accountability for foundational learning, using FLAT as a central instrument for progress tracking and timely interventions.
