ACTIVITIES
CBE Facilitators Empowered to Improve Learning Gains
In a significant stride towards enhancing educational quality, the Ghana Education Outcomes Project (GEOP) in April held a one-week refresher training for 240 Complementary Basic Education (CBE) facilitators across the Northern and Oti Regions. This initiative, part of GEOP's broader mission to reintegrate out-of-school children into formal education, focused on equipping facilitators with advanced pedagogical skills to improve learning gains among learners.
The training served as both a reinforcement of the initial training offered to the facilitators in October 2024 and a reflective platform for facilitators to share experiences and strategies accumulated over the past six months of Cohort 3 of the CBE programme. By fostering a collaborative environment, facilitators engaged in peer learning, enhancing their teaching methodologies and classroom management techniques.
Facilitators reported a renewed sense of purpose and confidence in their roles. Ayisha, a facilitator from the Savelugu Municipality, expressed appreciation, stating, "This training has added to our knowledge and will help us teach the learners." Similarly, Abdallah Mumuni from the Kumbungu District highlighted the value of networking, noting, "Coming together alone as facilitators is a great opportunity to network, connect, and share ideas. Our stay here has been impactful."
In the coming days, we hope to see positive results from the midline and endline assessment of the CBE learners.
The impact of this training extends beyond facilitators to the learners themselves. With enhanced teaching strategies, facilitators are better equipped to deliver effective literacy and numeracy instruction, crucial for the successful transition of out-of-school children into
mainstream education. This aligns with GEOP's overarching goal of improving learning outcomes and ensuring educational equity across Ghana.
Our consortium is working hard to retain our position as the best implementing partner of under GEOP.
Through initiatives like this, GEOP continues to demonstrate a commitment to building a robust educational foundation, empowering facilitators, and transforming the academic trajectories of countless learners.
Photo credits: SfL Communications Team
Staff and Management of SfL Poised for Communication Shift
Management and staff of School for Life are ready to embrace new reporting and communication techniques, thanks to the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI).
Since the training, staff have already started reshaping their impact stories.
Mohammed Mutaru Alhassan, our Advocacy and Policy-Influencing Officer, described the training as an "eye-opener," expressing confidence in its long-term benefits for the organisation's communication approach. Similarly, Abdul-Hakim Zakaria, a field supervisor and communications team member, noted that the training heralds a paradigm shift in SfL's reporting methods.
On 24 April 2025, WACSI conducted a pivotal training session titled 'Communication Shift' for a cross-section of staff and management from School for Life (SfL). Held at Gariba Lodge in Tamale, this initiative aimed to enhance SfL's communication strategies, particularly focusing on social media visibility and the articulation of impact stories.
The training provided participants with valuable insights into effective communication methodologies. Emphasis was placed on transitioning from activitybased narratives to results-based impact stories, ensuring that the organisation's achievements are conveyed more compellingly to stakeholders.
This initiative underscores WACSI's commitment to bolstering the capacities of civil society organisations in West Africa, ensuring they communicate their impacts effectively and resonate more profoundly with their audiences.
SfL thanks West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) and STAR-Ghana Foundation for the training.
Photos credit: WACSI
SfL Meets Regional Coordinating Councils: A Step Towards Strengthening Collaboration
Since March, we have paid courtesy calls to the various Coordinating Councils in our project areas. We visited the Northern, Savannah, Upper East and Upper West Regional Coordinating Councils together with our Citizen Networks to congratulate the newly appointed ministers while introducingour work tothem and strengtheningour collaboration.
In our meeting with the Northern Regional Minister on April 14, Hon. Ali Adolf John acknowledged the good work of School for Life, stating that “We don’t just want SfL, we need SfL”.
He pledged the RCC's full commitment to the attainment of SfL’s goal emphasizing the critical need for the work of SfL to address the out-of-school situation and ensuring quality education outcomes.
Similarly, across all the coordinating councils, the ministers thanked school for life for our good works for the past three decades. They also made promises to strengthen our collaboration.
In the Upper East Region, the story was different. The gesture inspired our Citizen Network in the Talensi District as some of them met a minister for the first time.
Below are the words of Miss Mary Agumbilla, a 34-year-old mother of two from Kupielga in the Talensi District:
“I feel so happy and special. This was the first time I met a minister in my life, and I’m truly overjoyed. Knowing that he has heard some of our challenges and is ready to work with us to resolve them means a lot. Perhaps he didn’t even know there was a village called Kupielga, but now I know he does. I’m happy.”
During the meeting, SfL congratulated the Minister on his appointment and presented key
highlights of its work under the Citizen-Led Actions for Educational Accountability and Responsiveness (CLEAR) Project. The Project Manager urged the Minister to revive the Regional Education Performance Review Meetings and District Education Oversight Committee sessions, offering SfL’s full support in doing so.
Mr. Michael Zoogah, Convenor of the Citizen Network, outlined impactful community-led initiatives aimed at improving quality basic education in the district. These include the provision of school furniture and teacher accommodation, among others.
The Minister commended the work of SfL and the Citizen Networks and reaffirmed government’s commitment to collaborating with them for the betterment of communities.
Earlier, the Citizen Network had also engaged the new District Chief Executive (DCE) for Talensi, Hon. John Millim Naabwomya. A communique highlighting pressing education concerns was presented, alongside newly produced school furniture for Kupielga D/A Primary School, donated by the Citizen Network. The DCE expressed his appreciation and pledged to work towards addressing the issues raised.
Photo credits: SfL Communications Team
Advancing Safe and Gender-Friendly Schools in Northern Ghana: E4L Programme in Focus
In April 2025, under the Empowerment for Life (E4L) Programme, School for Life (SfL) convened Regional Dialogues on Safe and Gender-Friendly Schools across the Northern, North East, and Savannah Regions. These sessions brought together 102 education officials from regional and district directorates of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to assess the progress of Safe School initiatives, share practical experiences, and identify key challenges.
Key discussion areas
Some of the key areas of discussion were:
• The current status of the Safe School Programme across districts.
• Challenges hindering effective implementation.
• Participants expressed gratitude for the opportunity to engage in these critical discussions, highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts in creating safe and supportive learning environments.
• Measures to ensure smooth and sustained progress.
Outcomes and impact:
The dialogue facilitated the exchange of valuable insights and practical strategies to strengthen and sustain school safety measures. By fostering a collaborative platform, the sessions empowered education officials to address challenges proactively and implement effective solutions.
Moving Forward:
The E4LProgramme, implementedbySchool forLife in partnership with GDCA, YEFL-Ghana, CLIP, and Ghana Venskab, remains committed to promoting equity and sustainable development in Ghana. Through continued engagement and capacity-building initiatives, the programme aims to ensure that every child learns in a safe, gender-friendly environment conducive to academic success and personal growth.
Together, we are building school environments where every child feels safe, supported, and empowered to learn and thrive.
Photo credits: E4L Communications Team
Crumbling Start: documentary gets results as philanthropists donate to schools
Since the premiere of the first episode of our joint documentary series with JoyNews, philanthropists have reached out to support these deprived schools in underserved communities in Ghana.
Since its premiere, seven episodes have been aired on the JoyNews channel and across social media platforms. The documentaries have gained traction on social media especially Facebook and Youtube.
Seeing the situation of the Sachilbo Primary School in the Tatale-Sanguli District, a couple living in Tema donated food items to the school through School for Life. The items were donated by SfL on behalf of the couple with the community also making commitments to contribute grains towards sustaining the school feeding in their school.
Also, hearing the sad reality facing Kulpeliga Basic School in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region, the National Security Secretariat reached out to our partner, Joynews, and through that, they donated sixty-five (65) mono desks to the school, including five (5) desks for teachers. The donation comes at a critical time, as final-year Junior High School students prepare for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Handing over the furniture to the school, Mr. Hakeem M.
Duwiejua, Deputy Director of Human Security at the National Security Secretariat noted that inadequate learning materials in a security issue.
“Human security is not just about borders and conflicts; it is about dignity. It is about the everyday conditions that allow people to live in peace, hope, and purpose. When children are denied the basic tools for learning, it becomes a human security issue and by extension, a national security risk.” He noted.
Further demonstrating commitment to long-term improvement, the National Security Coordinator pledged to renovate the existing dilapidated three-unit classroom block and construct an additional three-unit block to alleviate overcrowding.
The donation was met with overwhelming appreciation from teachers, pupils, and community leaders, who described the intervention as “timely” and pledged to safeguard the furniture to ensure its lasting impact.
As anorganization, Schoolfor Life remains steadfastin its advocacy for the provisionofbasic infrastructure to support the delivery of quality education across Ghana. We believe that every child deserves a safe and dignified learning environment and we will continue to work with partners and stakeholders to make this a reality.
We see these successes so far as propellers for quality education delivery and, we are anticipating other benevolent citizens will reach out subsequently to complement the work of government towards the provision of safe and sound learning environments for learners.
Photo credits: SfL Communications Team
Planning towards the future: Management reflects on our new Strategic Plan
From May 12 to May 16, 2025, Management of School for Life had a strategic reflection session taking stock of how our current organisational strategic plan was implemented, while unpacking the new strategic plan for the year 2025-2030.
It was a week-long of reflecting; assessing and critically reviewing the current strategic plan to make the new one a better representation of where School for Life is headed for now.
Reflecting on the process so far, our Director, Hajia Wedad Sayibu said emphasised that ‘this session seeks to provide deeper insights to the strategic document that will be our guide for the next 6 years. We have developed this document together with our communities and stakeholders and it is important that as drivers of the plan, staff are well appraised with the details of the plan’. “The plan is developed to terminate with the Sustainable Development Goal", she added.
Mr. Bukari Yahaya Abubakari, MEAL-KM Manager said that "we are in a new phase of School for Life and it promises to be exciting especially as we delve into a new phase with the Community Driven Change development approach."
MEAL-KM Manager revealed the numerous changes that are to take place in terms of the organisation’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL).
The new strategic plan would be launched later this year and will serve as the direction document of SfL for the next five (5) years. We celebrate every milestone we have reached over the past years, and we are even more poised for what is coming in the new future.
As we move into a new era in SfL, we invite you to join us as we embark on key strategic actions to facilitate community driven change in attaining quality education for all, leaving no one behind.
Photo credits: SfL Communications Team
Over 6,000 out-of-school children receiving foundational literacy skills
Across the Northern, Oti and Ashanti regions, over 6,000 out-of-school children are currently receiving foundational literacy and numeracy skills, thanks to our Complementary Education (CBE) programme.
The Ghana Education Outcomes Project (GEOP) is implemented in the Northern and Oti regions while the CBE Second Chance Project is implemented in the Ashanti Region.
The said children who otherwise would not have had formal education are anticipated to transition to the formal school in the next academic year. The nine-month CBE cycle is almost due as they are drawing near their endline assessment in July and their literachy skills have significantly improved.
Under GEOP, another over one thousand (1,000) learners are also going through the inschool component of the programme in the Oti Region. These learners are taken through the FASTA reading and FASTAS math modules by their teachers in the schools to improve their reading and numeracy skills.
Our gallant field staff have also been keenly monitoring the activities of the CBE programme across the three regions and continue to support facilitators and coaching the class sessions.
School for Life is grateful to our partners and donors for continuously supporting the work we do. We assure you of our commitment to advancing our work in advocating for quality education and supporting out of school children across the country.
Photo credits: SfL Communications Team
Collaborating for impact: SfL meets partners in the education sector
On 27th May, a team from School for Life Ghana School for Life joined our partners in development; EduSpots, Lively Minds and AfriKids to discuss our work and possible future collaborations.
As education sector actors, it is only good that we come together to provide lasting solutions to quality education delivery and access to all communities in the country. By coming together, it also means strong voice to impact more people and influence policies in the sector.
The meeting was convened by the @mc2h Foundation. Special thanks to the Regional Director, Carolyn for the warm reception.
We look forwardto strengtheningour workingrelationship in the coming months especially as we champion the #CommunityDrivenChangeApproaches in our work.
SfL engages Deputy Board Chair of GPE
Together with Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition - GNECC we facilitated a meeting with other Civil Society Organizations to engage the Vice Chairperson of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) during her working visit to Ghana in May, where positive discussions were had on education delivery in Ghana.
The GPE is currently funding the Citizen-led Action on Educational Accountability and Responsiveness (CLEAR) project through the Education Outloud. CLEAR strengthens communities to demand accountability in the education sector while advocating for quality education for all Ghanaians especially those in underserved areas.
Photos credit: Cat Davison; Kennedy Apanyin; CA Lawrence Boakye Dankwah
SfL Committee in Ghana
To close the month of May, we hosted the SfL Committee from Denmark and our esteemed partners, Ghana Venskab, for a working visit across our program regions. The visit formed part of the Committee’s ongoing efforts to strengthen SfL’s organizational sustainability, explore donor diversification, and monitor the progress of program implementation under Phase 5 of the E4L Program Ghana
The Committee engaged with key stakeholders, including Education Directorates, teachers, Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), and learners in the Northern and Savannah regions.
Additionally, discussions were held with the SfL Board and Management to explore sustainable pathways and opportunities for expanding donor support.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the SfL Committee in Denmark and our long-standing partners, GV, for their enriching visit.
Photo credits: GPE Communications Team
Photo credits: SfL Communications Team
INTERNATIONAL
Director Wedad in Oxford
In April this year, our Executive Director participated in two important events in the United Kingdom. The World Skroll Forum took place from April 1 to April 4, 2025, and the World Literacy Summit took place from April 6 to April 9, 2025. All too events took place in Oxford.
At the World Literacy Summit, Director Wedad joined a panel of literacy experts on the topic “the neglected power of parents in a child’s literacy journey in sub-Saharan Africa.” She shared the work of School for Life around literacy, pulling data from our 30 years of working in education development in Ghana. The director also shared how our Parental Learning Circles (PLC) are empowering parents to support their children’s learning process. She highlighted the emerging trends in parental involvement in children’s literacy journeys, offering rich context and lessons from the field.
School for Life was also nominated in the award category as an organization that has contributed to literacy, even though we did not win the category.
Over three decades since the inception of our flagship Complementary Basic Education (CBE) programme, our past beneficiaries are making strides in various sectors. From entrepreneurs to civil servants, they carry the banner of School for Life wherever they go.
In this edition of our newletter, we are sharing the inspiring story of Mohammed Baba Naem. We hope you will enjoy it.
From Darkness to Light: How
SfL's CBE transformed an
alumnus
Meet Mohammed Baba Naem, a proud alumnus of the School for Life’s Complementary BasicEducation (CBE) programme who is now shapingthe future of technical and vocational education in the Northern Region of Ghana.
In 2004, in the community of Zieng in the Nanton District, Naem was introduced to an educational journey that would change his life forever. Struggling to adapt to the traditional
SFL ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
school system, he found hope in our CBE programme, which uses community-driven and learner-friendly approaches to make education accessible and meaningful.
Naem shared that "the School for Life CBE programme transformed my perception of education". "It made learning engaging and ignited a passion that drove me to pursue formal studies," he added.
Thanks to the strong foundation laid by the CBE programme, Naem transitioned successfully intothe formaleducationsystemand rose throughthe academic ranks toattain tertiary-level education. Today, he is a key player in the education sector, serving with distinction at the Northern Regional TVET Directorate, where he contributes to the growth and impact of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
Naem’s journey is a powerful testament to the transformative power of inclusive and responsive education. His story mirrors the mission of School for Life: to make education accessible to every child, regardless of their background.
As he continues to serve and inspire others, we celebrate Naem as a beacon of what is possible when young minds are given the opportunity to thrive.
PARTNERS
Africa Education Watch
Alinea Foundation (WEENorth)
Bridges Outcome Fund Management
CARE in Ghana
Commonwealth of Learning
Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office
Ghana Developing Communities Association
Ghana Education Service
Ghana Friends (GV) and CISU
Global Partnership for Education (GPE)/Education Outloud
Ghana Network for Education Campaign
Coalition (GNECC)
Luminos Fund
mc2h
Ministry of Education
Northern Network for Education
Development (NNED)
Rising Academy Network
STAR-Ghana Foundation
West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI)
World Bank
Youth Empowerment for Life (YEfL-Ghana)
