ACKNOWLEDGING OUR DONORS
ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS
Strengthening Collaboration for Inclusive Education: CBEAlliance Engages New Leadership of the Complementary EducationAgency
In July 2024, the Complementary Basic Education (CBE)Alliance, convened by School for Life, paid a courtesy visit to the newly appointed leadership of the Complementary Education Agency (CEA). The CEA is a Government of Ghana Agency established to oversee the delivery and administration of quality Complementary Education (CE) in Ghana. The meeting aimed to foster collaboration and discuss key priorities for the effective implementation of the CBE program, which supports out-of-school children across Ghana
Key Issues Discussed:
• Funding and Budget Allocation: Ensuring adequate government funding for the Agency’s operations.
• Legislative Instrument: Advancing efforts to formalize the Agency’s mandate through legislation.
• Out-of-School Children (OOSC): Enhancing strategies to address the growing number of OOSC in the country.
• Data Harmonization: Improving data systems for more effective planning and decisionmaking.
At themeeting, Hon.DanielKwesiAshiamah,ActingExecutive Directorof CEAwas,enthusiastic about the engagement and reaffirmed theAgency’s commitment to deepening its partnership with the Alliance. He acknowledged the pivotal role the Alliance has played in the establishment and operationalization of the Agency and encouraged continued collaboration to ensure that complementary education reaches the most marginalized children in the country.
Representatives of the CBE Alliance and at the CEA Office
CBE Alliance in a Meeting with CEA Team
The CBE Alliance, a coalition of civil society organizations and NGOs, remains dedicated to promoting inclusive and equitable education for all children in Ghana.
CBEAlumni Reconnects with Inspirational Impact Stories, Plans FutureActivities.
The Complementary Basic Education (CBE)AlumniAssociation held itsAnnual General Meeting last weekend in Tamale., The meeting brought together former learners from across Ghana who benefited from the CBE Programme.And though which they reconnected, shared inspiring stories, and planned future initiatives to support education in underserved communities.
One of the highlights of the event was a powerful testimony from Dr. Hafiz Sulemana Abubakari, a former cattle herder turned academic. “This is a great opportunity for us to reunite and help one another and our communities. I was once a cattle herder and never knew anything about education until School for Life (through the CBE Programme) took me to school. Today, I am a PhD holder and a Lecturer at the University for Development Studies,” he shared.
The meeting also served as a platform for the election of new leadership for theAssociation, which also included inciteful discussions on upcoming activities. In the coming weeks, the Association plans to engage stakeholders at the community, school, and district levels to advocate improved access and quality of education
At School for Life, we are proud to have pioneered the CBE Programme, which has opened doors to formal education for over 450,000 learners. The programme is aimed at giving out of school children beyond school starting age an opportunity to attain basic literacy and numeracy in their mother tongue. Community based classes, led by volunteer facilitators for a maximum of 25 students between the 8-14 years of age are held over nine months where basic functional literacy and numeracy skills are taught in the mother tongue of students. Guided by our vision of “a Ghana where the right to relevant quality education is fulfilled, leaving no one behind,” we remain committed to empowering communities through education.
Special thanks to STAR-Ghana Foundation for supporting this initiative through the Civil Society Strengthening Fund (CSSF)
CBE Alumni at its 2nd Annual General Meeting
Reflection for Impact:A Meeting by the CLEAR’s Consortium
The Citizens-led Actions for Educational Accountability and Responsiveness (CLEAR) Project Consortium (comprising School for Life, Ghana Developing Communities Association-GDCA and YEfL-Ghana) held a reflection meeting on 22nd and 23rd July through which we assessed progress, shared insights, and strategized for greater impact across project districts. The session brought together consortium partners to review implementation milestones, celebrate successes, and explore learning opportunities.
Key Highlights from the Meeting:
Project Implementation Review
Partners shared updates on field activities, challenges, and innovations that have shaped the delivery of the CLEAR Project. Discussions focused on improving coordination and responsiveness to community needs.
Cheerful participants look ahead to more impact in citizen-led educational governance and accountability
Learning Questions Explored
The team reflected on critical learning areas, including:
Project outcomes
The consortium celebrated notable achievements during CLEAR’s implementation process so far. These include:
• Increased community engagement in education advocacy
• Strengthened partnerships with local stakeholders
• Empowered citizen groups actively demanding accountability in education delivery
• Under what conditions can citizen groups influence government responsiveness?
• Which modes of engagement between citizens and state actors are most effective?
• How does rights awareness help communities remove barriers to quality education?
• What mechanisms can enhance education delivery through citizen engagement?
Key takeaways emphasized the importance of enabling civic institutions, empowering community actors (like SMCs and PTAs), and establishing functional feedback systems. The need for improved data sharing between CSOs/NGOs, and government stakeholders was also highlighted.
GESI & MEALPresentations
Dedicated sessions on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) reinforced the importance of inclusive, data-driven programming. During the sessions, partners discussed strategies to better integrate GESI principles and strengthen MEAL systems for improved integration of gender sensitiveandsociallyinclusiveactivities,as well as effective tracking and learning.
Enhancing Communication and Visibility
The consortium agreed on the need to amplify project visibility through:
• Storytelling and beneficiary voices
• Strategic media engagement
• Improved branding and documentation
The reflection meeting served as a pivotal moment to deepen collaboration, align strategies, and reaffirm the shared vision of the CLEAR Project. It underscored the value of inclusive planning, evidence-based advocacy, and adaptive approaches in addressing barriers to quality education. Most importantly,it re-energizedpartnersto continueworking towardequitableeducationdelivery across all CLEAR districts.
Ghana Education Outcomes Project (GEOP)
Continued Progress in theAccelerated Learning Programme (ALP)
In July 2025, the Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) also known as the Complementary Basic Education Programme (CBE) continued to make significant progress. Learners recorded notable improvements in learning outcomes, with attendance remaining highly commendable across classes.
Cohort 2 and 3 Verifications by KPMG
As part of ongoing monitoring, KPMG conducted verification of Cohort 2 transitioned learners across all transition schools in the Northern and Oti regions. Findings from the exercise revealed that up to 96% of learners remained in school, demonstrating encouraging retention levels.
Mahamudu Imrana, CLEAR's district officer, leading a recap session at the reflection meeting
In addition, KPMG carried out endline verification for Cohort 3 ALP learners, cross-checked records foreligibility and accuracy.
EndlineAssessment by NaCCA
The National Council for Curriculum andAssessment (NaCCA) conducted endline assessments in all Cohort 3ALP classes within the Northern and Oti regions. Impressively, 98% of learners were present for the exercise. The assessment results, when compared to baseline data, will determine the extent of learning gains achieved during the nine-monthALP cycle.
Next Steps
In September, School for Life will transition the successfully completed the ALP learners into mainstream schools to continue their academic journey. This transition will mark another step in ensuring that children who were previously out of school are given the opportunity to pursue formal education.
GEOP’s Ongoing Impact
The Ghana Education Outcomes Project (GEOP) continues to contribute significantly to reducing out-of-school numbers in rural Ghana while improving learning outcomes and strengthening learner retention. Overall, over 10,000 learners have so far transitioned to mainstream school through our CBE programme. We are expecting another close to 6,000 learners to be transitioned in September.
Nyame Bekyere Community:AStory of Progress and Promise
Locatedjust 45minutesfromDrobonso, thecapital ofSekyereAfram Plains District in theAshanti Region, Nyame Bekyere Community is making remarkable strides in education. Thanks to the ongoing efforts of the CBE Second Chance (CBE/SC) Project.
Despite previous support from other CBE initiatives, inadequate educational infrastructure has affected the community’s aspiration to attain quality education. However, through persistent advocacy engagements with the local authorities and stakeholders, a major milestone has been achieved. The construction of a 6-unit classroom block is now underway!
NaCCA official assessing ALP learner
According to Ernest Jakoni, an elder in the Nyame Bekyere community, the School for Life CBE Facilitator took them through empowerment sessions on stakeholder engagements to address the challenges in the communities. ‘‘during the campaign season, we held meetings with the parliamentary aspirants and he promised that should they win, they will address our plea. Fortunately, on our part, the MP who won has initiated the construction of the school project.’’ Mr. Jakoni stated.
This development is a testament to the power of community engagement and the unwavering commitment of both the District Assembly and the District Education Office. It further reflects a shared vision to improve educational outcomes and create brighter futures for children in Nyame Bekyere.
“This achievement not only underscores the effectiveness of our advocacy efforts but also demonstrates the community’s dedication to change” Aaron Odua-Mensah- Field Coordinator of the CBE/SC Project indicated.
As we celebrate this transformation, we look forward to the continued growth of Nyame Bekyere and the opportunities it will unlock for generations to come.
Nyame Bekyere School Transformation
Before:
• Makeshift structures
• Limited space and resources
• Harsh learning conditions
After (Ongoing):
• 6-unit classroom block under construction
• Improved learning environment
• Renewed hope for quality education
Before: A makeshift structure
After: An ongoing construction of a 6 unit classroom block
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
MeetAaron Odua-Mensah, Field Coordinator for the CBE/SC Project in the Ashanti Region responsible for overseeing the day-to-day delivery of project activities. His work spans daily monitoring, team supervision, community engagement, learner enrolment, and facilitator training, while maintaining close collaboration with donors, district stakeholders and community leaders to ensure effective implementation.
Aaron’s motivation is deeply rooted in his background in Social Work and Development, which instilled in him a passion for creating lasting change. He strongly believes in the transformative power of education and is driven by the desire to make a meaningful impact on the lives of vulnerable communities.
Aaron is a very strong team player, down to earth and lead with passion and compassion. He is a transformational leader, very hard working and resulted oriented; always reliable, dependable and available when needed. These professional attribute and personal traits have endeared him to team members, senior management, community stakeholders, partners and donors alike. With barely about three years into his role,Aaron’s contributions to School for Life and the CBE-SC project in particular, have been extremely remarkable, transforming a team of average performers to high achievers. Aaron truly embodies a true definition of dedication, commitment and working under stress and difficult conditions to achieve results.
Among his proudest achievements is the success of sustained advocacy in the Sekyere Afram Plains District, where some CBE communities are set to benefit from the LEAP Cash Transfer programme. Another milestone includes his sustained advocacy that led to the ongoing construction of a six-unit classroom block in Nyame Bekyere, which will greatly improve the learning environment and brought renewed hope to children and families in the community. Aaron reflects that quality education requires more than infrastructure, and emphasizes that strong partnerships, well-trained and motivated facilitators, and active community involvement are essential to building a culture of learning that is impactful, inclusive and sustainable.
According to Aaron, his work is far from done, as there still remain huge challenges to overcome in ourquest foraGhanawhereright to relevant quality educationis fulfilledleaving noonebehind. These challenges, he reflects, include inadequate resources and teaching materials, limited access
Aaron Odua-Mensah, SfL's CBE/SC Field Coordinator, Ashanti Region
to remote communities, gaps in facilitator capacity and motivation, and the difficulty of fostering genuine community ownership of education.
Beyond his professional work, Aaron enjoys reading, especially books on history, politics, leadership, biographies and personal development. For him, reading provides relaxation, broadens perspective, and fuels continuous personal and professional growth.
Aaron continues to inspire and lead in ways that is worth emulating!
For enquiries reach out to School for Life via any of the channels below;
Street address: Naa Luro estate, off the Nobisco main road, Tamale.
Postal address: P. O. Box TL 787, Tamale, N/R.
Telephone: +233 3720 22023
Website: www.schoolforlifegh.org
Email: info@schoolforlifegh.org
