On Tuesday 29th March, Eduwatch participated in a Pan African CSO consultative workshop ahead of the Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers, to strengthen the relevance of CSO contributions on education. The Workshop aimed at coordinating CSOs from the Commonwealth countries in the Pan African region to collate voices from the grassroots, and to contribute to the recommendations for the Communique of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

Eduwatch called for an increase in domestic resource mobilisation to finance education, and increased investment in basic education across the Commonwealth Countries.

The theme for this year's CHOGM is “Rethinking Education for Innovation, Growth and Sustainability post-Covid-19”, and will be held from 10-11 May, 2022.

© Africa Education Watch

On Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th March, Eduwatch and OXFAM participated in a two-day validation session hosted by the Honourable ECOWAS Education Commissioner and representatives of member States. The meeting finalized a Strategy for the Harmonization of Education Systems in the ECOWAS Region.

A harmonized Education System will enhance vertical and horizontal mobility through the adoption and recognition of benchmarks for minimum standards, certifications and qualifications across the sub region.

© Africa Education Watch

On Thursday March 31st, Eduwatch participated in a Stakeholder Mapping Session for a National Learning Ecosystem for SDG 4, organised by the Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Evaluation (PBME) Directorate under the auspices of the Ministry of Education. The meeting was to map out stakeholders who influence Education Agenda and Processes, to create a National Learning Ecosystem, and also enable the Ministry appreciate the Sector’s Stakeholder Architecture.

Stakeholder Collaboration and Participation within the Education Sector is key to supporting the Ministry and its Agencies deliver on their mandate, while keeping them accountable to their deliverables.

The Session was facilitated by the Chief Technical Advisor of the Transforming Teaching, Education and Learning (T-TEL), Akwasi Addae Boahene, and attended by representatives from UNESCO, UNICEF, NaCCA, NCCE, GNACOPS, C-TVET, MoGCSP and USAID.

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On Thursday 31st March, Eduwatch partnered CDD-Ghana, with support from FCDO to undertake the third and final Dissemination of the Education Sector Medium Term (2018-2021) Review Report in the Volta Regional Capital - Ho. Participants were drawn from the Regional Education Directorate, Faith-based Organisations, Community-based Organisations, Municipal/District Assemblies, Parents Associations, School Management Committees and Teacher Unions.

The region recorded significant progress with 83% of schools having WASH facilities, a 70% Pupil-desk Ratio, 92% Trained Teachers and a 94% Primary-JHS Transition rate.

However, there were deficits in other indicator areas, with BECE performances being stagnated around 60% between 2017 to 2020, below the national rate by 16 percentage points. Also, 36% of children of school-going age in the Volta Region could not enrol into school between 2017-2020.

The next Medium Term Strategy being developed for 2022-2025 must prioritize strategies at improving BECE Performances in the region, and ensuring all students of school-going-age are enrolled.

© Africa Education Watch