MAKING A MARK AT THE CIES CONFERENCE
Associates for Change recently took center stage at the prestigious CIES (Comparative and International Education Society) 2023 Annual Meeting which was organized from 14th – 22nd February. This participation marked yet another significant stride in their journey towards creating positive change in the realm of global education. The Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) is a non-government organization committed to educational improvement and to empowering learners, educators, and many more on local, national, regional, and global scales. This year’s meeting centered on Improving Education for a More Equitable World. During the CIES Conference, Dr. Leslie Casely-Hayford, Director for Associates for Change delivered an insightful presentation on Accelerated Education Program (AEPs). The presentation drew from their wealth of research conducted on the comparative study on AEPs in Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone depicting diverse educational settings. She shared strategies for improving education quality, promoting inclusivity for learning. The policy discussions and […]
ASSOCIATIES FOR CHANGE PARTICIPATES IN ICERDA
Associates for Change and its research partners; Dalan Development Consultants and The Centre for the Study of Economies of Africa joined other education researchers for the International Conference on Education Research Development in Africa (ICERDA) on the 19th to 21st of September 2023. ICERDA, a research partnership between The University of Cape Coast and The Centre for the Study of Global Development at The Open University, UK aims to create a unique space for new and established education researchers to meet regularly to disseminate research that addresses and develops research that inspires our policy makers to take action to improve the quality of education for all Africans, especially the disadvantaged and marginalised. The research Consortium was represented by Dr. Abubakarr Lamin, Eunice Bodza and Louisa Owusu Adjei who delivered presentations on Overcoming educational exclusion and the effectiveness of Accelerated Education Programs. The team’s dedication to driving change in education through […]
A Commitment to Advancing Education
Associates for Change recently took part in the 2nd Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX) Symposium organized from the 12th – 14th October 2023. This event marked another significant step in the ongoing mission to drive innovation and transformation within the field of education. The Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX) is a global platform that brings together education experts, policymakers, practitioners, and researchers from around the world. The symposium sought to provide an opportunity for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to share findings from their respective work; promote learning and dialogue among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers on how to use data to improve educational outcomes and foster evidence-based policymaking at the country level. Director of Associates for Change, Dr. Leslie Casely-Hayford delivered a presentation on Empowering Education Systems through Equity and Scaling research. She highlighted the benefits of developing more holistic Education data systems as this could lead to improved resource allocation […]
AFC Participates in UKFIET
Associates for Change, Dalan Development Consultants and the Centre for the Economies of Africa participated in the UKFIET from the 12th to 14th of September 2023. The Education and Development Forum (UKFIET) is committed to promoting and strengthening international education and development for all, regardless of gender, ethnicity, nationality, and other differences. It pursues this objective through sharing educational ideas, encouraging the development of teaching, training, research and publication, serving as a resource to policy makers in government, multi-lateral and non-government organisations, and in other institutions. This event brought together educators, policymakers, and researchers from around the world to discuss innovative approaches and strategies to address global education challenges. The research consortium seized this opportunity to share their insights and experiences in different presentations that showcased their dedication to transforming education for the better. Associates for Change presented on and scaling up accelerated education programs highlighting evidence that Accelerated Education […]
ACCELERATED EDUCATION PROGRAME-IDRC
Generating and Mobilising Innovative Knowledge for Regional Education Challenges KIX: A comparative study of accelerated education programs and girls-focused education models in Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, International Development Research Center (IDRC) (March 2021- Present) ABOUT THE PROJECT This project aims to fill the knowledge gap on the scalability of Accelerated Education Program models in rural and fragile areas to reach large populations of out-of-school children. The study also includes mini studies measuring the performance and efficiency of approaches aimed at increasing access to quality education for children in poor rural areas, access to quality girls’ education, educating children with disabilities, and transitioning AE children to formal schooling and retaining them therein. The research design uses a Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation (CLA) approach and includes evaluative mixed-method approaches including two longitudinal surveys related to the programme efficiency and effectiveness, one tracer study which tracks the children who have completed and […]
ACCOUNTABILITY IN EDUCATION
Annual Presentations on the Education Sector Budget to Parliament of Ghana (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017) Parliamentary Services, under the leadership of Parliament of Ghana organize an Annual Post Budget Workshop where various specialists and experts conduct a review of the proposed budget in order to inform Parliament of the strengths and weaknesses in the various sectors of the economy. Under the able leadership of Dr. Leslie Casely-Hayford, the Principal Consultant of Associates for Change, we have been conducting the education budget analysis over the past 6 years and making presentations to Parliament and its subcommittee in the education sector. The education budget analysis entails: an analysis of the implementation of the previous year’s budget related to the education sector, reviews the budget trends, provides a quick overview of the performance in the education sector and presents key issues and challenging questions to consider in analysis of the […]
IDRC-Early Childhood Project
Teacher Capacity Building for Play-Based Early Learning in Ghana and Sierra Leone (February 2022 to present) This is a KIX/GPE and International Development Research Centre (IDRC) supported research project being conducted by the Institute for Statistical Social and Economic Research (ISSER), University of Ghana and Associates for Change in Ghana along with the Division of Education Studies, University of Sierra Leone. The KIX IDRC research seeks to bring together multiple stakeholders in early childhood education in Ghana and Sierra Leone to enhance the capacity of teachers to implement innovations in play-based learning at early childhood levels of education. These innovations in play-based approaches will assess the shift in teaching towards more play-based approaches by evaluating the teaching and learning outcomes across a variety of schools in urban and rural schools along with the cost of implementation. The purpose is to generate evidence of what works to improve classroom practice of […]
RECENT EVALUATION & DESIGN cont
The Elmina Resource Guide on HIV/AIDS and Education for West Africa (ECOWAS): Strategies for Action. Based on findings from the Senior Experts’ Conference on “HIV/AIDS and Education in ECOWAS: Towards a Regional Mobilization” in Elmina , Ghana : March 2001. Final Report Ghana , September 2001. Associates for Change undertook an Impact Assessment of the Untrained Teacher Diploma in Basic Education (UTDBE) and Sample Survey of Lesson Delivery for the Ghana Education Service and the World Bank. The evaluation of the UTDBE programme component of GPEG was to assess the extent to which the programme has achieved its objective of upgrading the skills of the trainee teachers in the deprived districts and the extent to which this has impacted learning outcomes. In particular, the study assessed the knowledge and skills gained by trainees in lesson planning/preparation, teaching methodology, and classroom organization and management. The assessment also examined improvement in the […]
POLICY BRIEFS AND ARTICLES
An Education Policy Brief on the Quality and Inclusivity of Basic Education across Ghana’s Three Northern Regions: A Look at Change, Learning Effectiveness and Efficiency. (TENI/VSO) Project (2012 -2013) The Quality and Inclusivity of Basic Education across Northern Ghana Education Research was undertaken in 54 basic schools across the three northern regions over a three month period. The research used mixed method approaches with evidence gathered from in-depth classroom observation, interviews with pupils, teachers, and other community members. The study focused on teacher preparedness, classroom methods, language of instruction, and learning context in 54 schools and 86 classrooms across the three northern regions. The study also explored the child readiness and community demand factors which shape and influence the quality of education in Ghana and the key drivers of change that promote or inhibit the achievement of inclusive education, with emphasis on the education needs of girls and children with […]
RECENT EVALUATION & DESIGN WORK
Impact Assessment of COVID-19 on Low Fee Private Schools in Ghana, IDP Foundation (June 2020 – May 2021) Associates for Change conducted a Pre and Post Assessment of low fee private schools within the IDP Rising School Program in Ghana. The IDP Rising School Program (IDPRSP) aims to assist low fee private schools in providing and sustaining an environment conducive to learning. The program focuses on financial and school management training for the proprietors of these schools and allows them to access subsidised loan funding to develop their education delivery. As part of IDP’s expansion plan, funding was made available to Sinapi Aba to increase the number of beneficiary schools from 584 to 1000 and provide about 400 additional loans to be disbursed to the schools over the five years. The Pre-reopening Assessment was conducted to understand the context of COVID, the uncertainty around school reopening and the potential impact […]