Nalerigu: More than 122,000 children are set to benefit from the second phase of the Quality and Inclusive Early Childhood Education Services for all Children (QAIECE 2) project, which aims to enhance public kindergarten (KG) education in Ghana’s North East Region. The initiative focuses on supporting the physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development of 122,249 children, including 59,226 males and 63,023 females, aged four to five years in 30 communities within the East Mamprusi and West Mamprusi Municipalities.
According to Ghana News Agency, the project plans to achieve several key milestones, including constructing 10 fully furnished kindergarten facilities with water, sanitation, and hygiene amenities. Additionally, 10,812 workbooks will be distributed, digital equipment will be provided to six target schools, and five boreholes will be drilled. The project will also train 136 teachers in the new KG curriculum and ICT use, and 120 community facilitators will be prepared to support kindergarten sta
ff. Further efforts include developing a manual for school facility management, training 285 school management committee and parent-teacher association members, and identifying and supporting 224 vulnerable children.
The three-year project, with a budget of 2.14 million USD, is led by ChildFund Korea and jointly implemented by Children Believe Ghana and AG CARE. Mr Donghyun Lee, Country Director for the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), emphasized the project’s goal to build upon the successes of its first phase, which ended last year. He highlighted the improvements in KG infrastructure, teacher development, and parental awareness achieved during the initial phase.
Mr Lee stressed that the phase two initiative is not only about expanding access but also about ensuring the long-term sustainability of early childhood development in Ghana. He noted that research conducted after the first phase revealed significant challenges in the region, particularly the lack of qualified teachers. Only seven
out of 40 teachers in nine assessed schools had early childhood education qualifications.
Madam Esenam Kavi De-Souza, Country Director of Children Believe Ghana, underscored the importance of early childhood education, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 4. She called for increased government budgetary allocation to ensure children receive the right foundation before primary education.
Miss Beuniel Ko, Country Programme Manager for ChildFund Korea, expressed that the project is about providing children with the space to dream, beyond just buildings and materials. Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Education, acknowledged the Korean Government’s funding and assured proper utilization of the facilities for community development.
Mr Ibrahim Tia, North East Regional Minister, highlighted the achievements of the project’s first phase and stressed the importance of prioritizing education in the region. He urged local authorities to collaborate with education directorates to ensure the effective use of resour
ces for the benefit of the communities involved.