The World Bank Board of Directors approved today $150 million in financing to support the Government of Ghana to improve the quality of education for over two million children in low performing basic education schools, and to strengthen Ghana’s education system.

“The project focuses on underserved areas and on improving the quality of education for increased human capital and supports the World Bank’s twin goals of ending poverty and promoting shared prosperity” said Pierre Laporte, World Bank Country Director for Ghana. “This operation directly aligns with the Government’s Strategy and with the World Bank’s Africa Strategy of improving inclusive and equitable access to quality education at all levels.”

The Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP) will support teaching and learning through modern in-service teacher training, and provision of learning materials. School-level support and resources will be strengthened, combined with improved community engagement. Improvements in teaching and learning assessments and accountability will enhance education outcomes to build Ghana’s human capital.

The project builds on the findings of Ghana’s Systematic Country Diagnostic which identifies education as key for increasing labor productivity and building Ghana’s human capital. The timing and objectives of the GALOP is aligned with the current focus on learning poverty, and the project’s implementation is expected to lead to an improvement in learning outcomes at the basic level.

While interventions for accountability under the GALOP will be national in scope, learning interventions will target schools identified with major challenges in learning outcomes and resources. Key expected outcomes include improved teaching practices in targeted schools, including targeted instruction, structured pedagogy and continuous coaching and mentoring support, decreased absenteeism among teachers, effective allocation of teachers across schools, and increased utilization of the accountability dashboard to improve learning.

In addition, the project will support capacity development of three newly instituted semi-autonomous government structures in curriculum and assessment, inspections and teacher management, to ensure sustainability and institutionalization of interventions.

“The GALOP is estimated to benefit 2.3 million children, including 1.2 million girls from direct interventions, as well as over 70,000 teachers, head teachers, circuit supervisors, and national, regional and district education officers.” said Halil Dundar, World Bank Education Practice Manager for West and Southern Africa.

This project scales up several successful pilots supported by the World Bank as well as other development partners. These include: the innovative delivery of in-service teacher training on targeted instruction and structured teaching; digitized data collection and accountability systems; strengthened school resourcing for learning; and enhanced school-based management and citizen engagement.

* The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 76 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.6 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960, IDA has supported development work in 113 countries. Annual commitments have averaged about $21 billion over the last three years, with about 61 percent going to Africa.