Dubbed, ‘Strengthening Accountability in Ghana’s Education System (SAGES)’, it is being funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) at a cost of US$60 million.

It will be implemented in four regions in northern Ghana, namely Upper West, Upper East, Northern and North East regions in 17 districts by a consortium of Civil Society Organisations led by the Cooperate for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE), an international humanitarian organisation.

The Systems Strengthening Activity in the Upper West Region would be implemented by the Community Development Alliance in five USAID Zone of influence districts (ZOIs) comprising Nadowli-Kaleo, Daffiama-Bussie- Issah, Wa East, Sissala East and Sissala West.

The Deputy Chief of Party at Care International in charge of the SAGES Systems Strengthening Activity, Mr Mohammed Amin Dawuda, speaking at the regional launch, said the project was designed to assist the Government of Ghana (GoG) through the Ministry of Education and its agencies to deliver quality education in primary schools across the country.

He said the country’s education sector played an important role in national building hence there was the need to recognise and support it to effectively carry out its duties in order to achieve the quality education the country yearned for.

He mentioned that the future of the country laid in the hands of the young generation and said improved accountability will ensure that more young girls and boys accessed quality education.

He said the project would also support the Ministry of Education to strengthen and update its system regularly especially in the training of School Improvement Support Officers (SISOs) to be able to do their work effectively.

The representative from USAID, Mr Paul Napari, said the goal of the USAID SAGES Systems Strengthening Activity was to demonstrate an increased accountability and improved learning outcomes in more than 1,200 primary schools across northern Ghana.

“The United States supports basic education in Ghana because we know that education opens doors; a well-educated public will help drive development, individual achievement and economic prosperity for all, however we cannot achieve this without a performing and accountable educational system,” he said.

He said the USAID’s SAGES activity would equip pupils, teachers, parents and administrators with the tools needed to foster a culture of excellence, transparency and accountability.

Mr Napari added that the project would also empower communities to demand quality education from schools and at all levels of the educational system and called on stakeholders in the sector to work together to turn their collective vision into a reality.

The Executive Director of the CDA, Mr Salifu Kanton, said his organisation would provide the needed technical assistance as one of the implementing partners for a successful implementation.

Present at the regional launch were stakeholders from the regional coordinating council, GES, traditional and religious councils, teacher unions, schools, persons with disabilities, minority groups, among others.

Other CSO implementing partners of the SAGES SSA are Afrikids, crown agents, Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition and School for Life.