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Rural Youth in Ghana Catching up on Education

Year of Implementation: 2022

Background

The project addressed systemic educational disparities in cocoa-growing communities of Suhum and Ayensuano districts (Eastern Region), targeting rural adolescents with literacy/numeracy gaps and socioeconomic barriers. Implemented with Ghana Education Service (GES), with support from Edukans and funded by Tony’s Chocolonely, the initiative integrated active learning methodologies, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), and Reproductive Health Education (RHE) to improve learning outcomes and reduce dropout rates, particularly among the most
vulnerable children, especially girls. Key partners included Asetenapa (for community mobilization) and the Departments of Social Welfare and Community Development.

Strategy​

Teacher Capacity Building.

  1. 167 teachers and 15 headteachers trained in Standard-Based Curriculum delivery (100% adoption), Active learning methods (e.g., lesson planning, differentiated instruction), SEL and RHE integration (evidenced by 95% teacher compliance in positive reinforcement).
  2. Coaching sessions for continuous improvement, with 45.5% increase in active learner engagement (baseline: 37% to endline: 82.5%).

Community & Systemic Engagement

  1. Supported Social Welfare to established 13 Child Protection Committees together with DOVVSU to enforce child protection policies.
  2. Conducted 150-parent workshops on Positive parenting, Girls’ education advocacy and SRHR/SEL at home (resulting in 92.5% learner knowledge of reproductive rights).
  3. Leveraged Asetenapa for School selection in cocoa-growing areas, Parent-school liaison (e.g., community sensitization in 13 communities).

Student-Centered Interventions

  1. SEL integration: 99% of learners demonstrated improved emotion management and conflict resolution.
  2. RHE outcomes: 100% HIV/STI prevention knowledge among learners.
  3. Safe classrooms: 85.7% reported supportive environments (baseline: 76%).

Key Highlights

The project achieved significant improvements in educational quality and access across Suhum and Ayensuano districts. Classroom environments transformed dramatically, with safe, supportive learning spaces increasing from 76% to 85.7%, while active student engagement jumped by 45.5 percentage points. Teachers successfully adopted new methodologies, evidenced by a 36.3% improvement in instructional clarity and doubled exercise quality through competency-based approaches. The initiative particularly benefited girls, reducing female dropout rates by 30% through targeted Reproductive Health Education and community engagement.

Beyond the classroom, the project established 5 new Child Protection Committees, reaching 13 communities total, while training 150 parents on supporting education. Social-Emotional Learning showed exceptional results, with 99% of learners demonstrating improved emotional regulation. The programme’s multiplying effect extended its reach to 38,413 students through district-wide scaling, with trained teachers and SISOs sustaining impact. While challenges like teen pregnancies persisted, the project created strong foundations for continued educational
improvement in these cocoa-growing communities.