Teacher capacity building for play-based early learning in Ghana and Sierra Leone

Research evidence suggests that pre-primary learning using a play-based approach benefits children and helps them to succeed in school. However, in Ghana and Sierra Leone, teachers find this challenging due to the limited training that they receive in play-based approaches.

This project will study the implementation of two training programs in both rural and urban settings across the two countries. The study will interview key stakeholders, observe classrooms and conduct surveys in the two countries to compare early-learning centres that are taught by teachers who received the play-based approach training with those that did not. The purpose of this will be to generate knowledge and evidence to improve the practice of play-based learning and teacher training and to determine cost-effective ways of training early-childhood education teachers. The evidence and recommendations of this research will provide a basis for sound policies in both countries on scalable approaches, which can improve access and quality to education by ensuring adequately trained teachers at early-childhood levels.

This project is one of the five projects selected through a Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange call for proposals for early learning in East, West and Southern Africa: Generating and mobilizing innovative knowledge for regional education challenges.