Haruna Iddrisu is the Minister of Education
Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has called for sustained investment, stronger collaboration and commitment to improving foundational learning as Ghana launches the Foundational Learning Agenda 2026–2040.
Speaking at the launch in Accra, she emphasised the importance of the early years of education, noting that a child's ability to read, understand numbers and develop basic mathematical concepts provides the foundation for future academic success.
She said education must nurture children's natural curiosity and provide them with the necessary support to acquire knowledge, develop skills and engage confidently with the world.
The vice president also stressed the need to address inequalities in education, ensuring that a child's future opportunities were not determined by their geographical location, family background or access to learning resources.
She explained that the agenda would build on previous educational reforms while addressing existing gaps in learning outcomes.
Among the proposed interventions are curriculum revisions to give Ghanaian languages a stronger role in early literacy instruction, subject to Cabinet approval and a pilot programme before wider implementation.
Under the agenda, approximately 13 million children aged between four and eight in public and low-fee private schools are expected to demonstrate improved proficiency in foundational literacy, numeracy and psychosocial development.
Prof Opoku-Agyemang commended the Minister for Education and his team for the initiative and urged the Ministry and its stakeholders to avoid duplication, monitor results closely and make necessary adjustments during implementation.
She called on teachers, education authorities, parents and development partners to work together to achieve the objectives of the agenda before declaring the Foundational Learning Agenda 2026–2040 duly launched.
Education success requires long-term commitment
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, described foundational learning as a national priority, stressing that every Ghanaian child deserved a strong start in education.
He said President John Dramani Mahama was committed to ensuring that children acquired the essential skills needed for lifelong learning, with the Vice President championing the agenda.
Iddrisu assured development partners, particularly the British Government, of Ghana's commitment to working together to achieve the programme's objectives.
He cautioned against measuring the success of education reforms within two, three or four years, arguing that meaningful improvements in learning outcomes must be assessed over a decade.
The Minister acknowledged that despite progress in expanding access to basic education, disparities persisted between rural and urban communities and, in some instances, between public and private schools.
He said the new agenda would help address these inequalities and advance the constitutional commitment to free, compulsory and universal basic education.
Iddrisu further assured that government was realigning investments to prioritise foundational learning and ensure that no Ghanaian child was denied educational opportunities because of gender, geographical location or financial circumstances.
He noted that quality early childhood education was critical, as children who received appropriate support in their early years were more likely to progress successfully through school.
The launch brought together government officials, education stakeholders and development partners, underscoring the importance of a collective effort to improve learning outcomes and strengthen the future of education in Ghana.
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