Access to education rises, but quality shows fluctuations

A report by the Ghana Statistical Service has revealed that while access to education in Ghana has steadily increased over the years, the quality of education has fluctuated.
The report, titled “Access to and Quality of Basic and Secondary Education in Ghana (2000–2023),” was presented by Professor Samuel Kobina Annim, the Government Statistician.
The study, conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, analyzed enrolment trends, teacher availability, and student performance in core subjects at the Junior High School (JHS) and Senior High School (SHS) levels.
It utilized data from the Education Management Information System (EMIS) to assess progress in the sector.
The findings showed that the Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) at the kindergarten level more than doubled over the past two decades, from 51% to 122%.
Similarly, the Primary GER increased from 80% to 90%, JHS GER rose from 64% to 98%, and SHS GER tripled from 25% to 72%.

Challenges in age-appropriate enrolment
Despite the impressive GER figures, the report highlighted concerns regarding age-appropriate enrolment.
The Net Enrolment Rate (NER), which measures the proportion of children within the expected age range for each education level, revealed significant gaps.
In 2023, the kindergarten NER was 66%, meaning only two in three children aged four to five were enrolled at the appropriate level.
At the primary level, eight in ten children (80%) aged six to 11 were enrolled. However, only 47% of children aged 12 to 14 were enrolled in JHS, indicating a worrying drop in participation at the junior secondary level.

Gender parity achieved at primary level, but quality gaps persist
The report showed that gender disparities in access to education have reduced significantly, with gender parity achieved at the primary level.
However, gaps in education quality persist, particularly in student performance.

Gender differences were more pronounced in Mathematics and English pass rates at the JHS and SHS levels.
The 2021 WASSCE results indicated that boys (70%) outperformed girls (60%) in Mathematics, while girls (60%) performed better than boys (50%) in English.

Regional disparities in education quality
The report also uncovered substantial regional variations in education quality.
The pupil-to-trained-teacher ratio remains a major concern in some regions, particularly in the Northern, North East, and Savannah regions, where the ratio exceeds 50 pupils per trained teacher—more than double the 25 pupils per trained teacher recorded in Greater Accra.
Similarly, significant disparities in pass rates were noted across the country.
The Bono Region recorded the highest pass rate in WASSCE Mathematics in 2019, which was almost five times higher than that of the North East Region (21%).
For English, Bono (75.3%) had pass rates more than 10 times higher than the North East (5.1%) and Savannah (8%).

Govt’s response and policy implications
Minister of Education, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, emphasized that the report’s findings would be instrumental in shaping national education policies.
He assured that the data would guide the National Education Forum Planning Committee in making evidence-based decisions to improve access and quality.
The report aligns with Ghana’s efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality), and 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
By addressing the disparities in enrolment, teacher availability, and student performance, policymakers aim to enhance educational outcomes and ensure that all Ghanaian children receive quality education.