Greater Accra, Ghana – On 24 February, 2015, USAID, in collaboration with key regional partners, kicked off a series of roundtable discussions on generating sustainable gains in child literacy and numeracy nationwide.  To further this goal, regional actors, including, Education Offices, Coordinating Councils, Ghana Education Service national representatives and USAID’s Ghana Mission Education team will gather for introductory Partnership for Education meetings through March 31, 2015.  USAID’s Partnership for Education project represents an investment in Ghanaian education by the American people of approximately $190 million over the next five years.

National representatives from the Ghana Education Service and the USAID Education team will travel to the country’s 10 regional capitals to introduce the project.  They will identify regional support for activities and emphasize the critical role of regional actors in the periodic review and assessment of milestones. 

The USAID Partnership for Education is the U.S. Government’s direct contribution to Ghana’s 2010-2020 Education Sector Plan.  It comprises distinct, but complementary, activities to improve child literacy and numeracy and basic education systems.  The Partnership for Education: Learning activity supports early grade reading and literacy improvement and is implemented by the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service.  Learning will support the Ghana Education Service’s nationwide efforts and high-performing and transitioning districts throughout Ghana.  Learning strengthens and supports excellence in early grade reading; improves education systems, expands and sustains reading outcomes; and encourages community engagement to promote reading. 

A sister activity, Partnership for Education: Testing, strengthens student assessment including; design, administration and dissemination.  Through assistance to the National Education Assessment Unit of the Ghana Education Service, these assessments will include the National Education Assessment (NEA), the newly introduced Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA), and the Early Grade Math Assessment (EGMA). 

The Partnership for Education: Evaluating Systems supports Ghana’s Education Strategic Plan by working with national and local government and partner organizations to develop a systematic, coordinated, and responsive monitoring and evaluation system.  Together the Learning, Testing and Evaluating Systems projects bolster the Ministry of Education’s priority to improve learning outcomes, especially reading.