A 1.5 million dollar project has been launched in the North East Region to help address the challenges of Early Childhood Education (ECE) acquisition in the region.
The project dubbed “Quality and Inclusive Early Childhood Education (QAIECE)” is a three-year intervention aimed at reducing the number of challenges facing the provision of ECE in Ghana, especially in the North East Region.
It is being implemented by three organisations: Children Believe, Children Fund Korea and AG Care-Ghana funded by the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
The project would be executed in the East and West Mamprusi municipalities from May 2022 to December 2024 and expected to impact the lives of 132,864 beneficiaries in 30 communities in the selected municipalities.
The National Director in charge of ECE at the Ghana Education Service (GES), Ms Vida Barbara Ntow speaking at the launch of the project at Walewale in the North East Region, noted that ECE was a key to the holistic development of every child irrespective of the race, colour, disability or ethnicity.
She indicated that when children are denied ECE, it deprives them of play and to perform other critical things from childhood such as cognitive, motor, physical, social, emotional and language development.
Ms Ntow said the Ghana Education Service (GES) in partnership with UNICEF and other partners was developing a policy document that would serve as a guide on how families and communities could best be engaged in the provision of ECE in Ghana.
The Country Manager of ‘Children Believe Ghana, Mrs Esenam Kavi Desouza, in her remarks, the QAIECE Project would directly impact the lives of 132, 864 children in 30 communities.
Mrs Esenam indicated that the QAIECE sought to provide quality early childhood education for children aged 4 to 5 years, promote the practice of kindergarten education and participation of parents and communities as well as strengthen the accountability of communities and government in kindergarten education provision.
On his part, the Executive Director of AG Care-Ghana Mr Joseph Kwame Wumbee, said as an organisation, the AG Care-Ghana, since its establishment, has provided a total of 12 classroom blocks, 10 girls’ changing rooms, 12 rain water
harvesting tanks, 6 toilets, 3 teacher quarters, in many basic schools at a cost of over GH¢4,310,700.
He noted that governments’ investment in Early Childhood Education over the years, was inadequate, hence the need for well-planned intervention such as the QAIECE project.
The Deputy Country Director of the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Mr BoSung Jeang, pledged his outfit’s continuous support to Ghana, especially in the provision of quality ECE.
He urged stakeholders to ensure the sustainability of the project to enable it to achieve its objectives
The North East Regional Education Director and Chairman of the launch, Mr Simon Anane Amokasi, said the provision of quality ECE has been a challenge in the region and expressed gratitude to KOICA and the implementing partners.
BY TIMES REPORTER
