Ghana

An infographic describing the key steps and timeline involved in conducting an Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA).

This poster presented at the 2016 Comparative International Education Society (CIES) Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, explores the relationship between Language of Instruction on pupil EGRA outcomes in Zambia and Ghana and uses GIS data to map information on languages spoken in a given area (from SIL Ethnologue data) with information on school language of instruction.

Synthesis of three data capacity assessments (Ghana, Mozambique, Philippines) that aimed to both to evaluate the countries’ data systems and to determine how well each country’s own data systems can: • Inform and support the development and implementation of education sector policies, plans, and strategies; • Provide the basis for coordinating and aligning external assistance in support of the education sector; • Underpin the development of USAID’s five-year country strategy, sector-specific programs, and projects; and • Generate data to evaluate and report on the performance, outcomes, and impact of USAID (and other) investments.

EdData II, which began in late 2004, provides survey expertise to help national and local governments as well as the donor community to assess their education status. Project advisors collaborate with USAID Missions and Bureaus, other donors, and host-country stakeholders to find innovative and cost-effective ways to gather and analyze education data. One task order under EdData II, called "Learning Outcomes Research and Assessment Related Projects (2009-2013) supported the conduct of early grade basic skills in reading and math. Experiences with the various assessments were documented in an EdData II publication: "Learning Outcomes Research and Assessment-Related Project: Final Report (October 2013). The final "Learning Outcomes" report covered initial country reactions to the assessments and their findings. The purpose of this review was to collect data on how results had been disseminated and used long after the initial release of the report.

This report presents the findings from the 2013 administration of the Ghana National Education Assessment (NEA), carried out by the Assessment Services Unit (ASU) within the Ghana Education Service (GES). In addition to the performance results, this volume offers a substantial amount of contextual background and technical detail regarding the methodology for the 2013 NEA test development, sampling, data collection, and data analysis. Available separately is a brief document titled Ghana 2013 National Education Assessment: Summary of Results, which focuses more narrowly on the findings. The summary version is intended for use in discussions of policies and recommendations around instruction and educational assessments in Ghana.

The intent of this summary report is to engender broad-based policy discussions and recommendations around one question: Why are pupils struggling with English and mathematics in P3 and P6? It focuses on the 2013 NEA results, which may lead Ghana’s education stakeholders towards changes and recommendations in curriculum, materials, other resources, and instructional approaches that could have long-term impacts on pupil performance. For a narrower audience interested in the technical details of the 2013 methodology, sampling, and analysis, a separate, more comprehensive and technical report has been prepared (Ghana National Education Assessment: 2013 Technical Report); this report summarizes much of the content from the technical document.