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Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Initiative

Year of Implementation: 2018

Background

The Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programme utilised the “Curriculum of All Times” (COAT) manual to integrate children’s social-emotional development with academic learning. This holistic approach focused on nurturing the “whole child” through a whole-school methodology, aiming to develop critical life skills and values including self-regulation, responsibility, kindness, and social awareness. The initiative specifically targeted the prevention of bullying, aggression, and radicalization among school children while creating supportive learning environments where students felt safe sharing experiences.

Strategy​

The program implemented a multi-tiered capacity-building approach:

  1. Educator Training:
    50 teachers received instruction on delivering weekly SEL lessons using the COAT manual and video animations, with additional training in active learning techniques applicable across all subjects
  2. Leadership Engagement:
    6 headteachers and 12 Guidance & Counseling Officers were equipped to monitor implementation quality and teacher application of SEL principles
  3. Student Development:
    Direct intervention reached 302 upper primary students across Sagnarigu District and Tamale Metro, teaching emotion regulation, positive social behaviors, and self-awareness through participatory methods

Key Highlights

  • Successfully trained 68 education professionals (teachers, headteachers, and counselors) in SEL delivery and monitoring
  • Documented student-reported improvements in emotional recognition and interpersonal skills through focus group feedback
  • Established systems for ongoing SEL integration via weekly structured lessons and cross-curricular application
    Implemented in 6 target schools with observable behavioral transformations among participants

Combined multimedia tools (video animations) with discussion-based learning for enhanced engagement. The initiative created measurable impact in fostering emotionally intelligent school communities while demonstrating the scalability of the COAT framework within Ghanaian primary education settings.