Stakeholders in early Childhood Education and Development in Ghana's Upper East Region have urged for greater investment in the sector to provide children with a strong foundation for lifelong learning. The call was made at the 2026 third-quarter meeting of the Upper East Regional Early Childhood Development Committee. Organised by the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) with support from non-governmental organisation Children Believe, the meeting brought together various stakeholders to review activities, share experiences, and identify challenges.
The stakeholders highlighted several challenges facing early childhood education in the region, including inadequate numbers of trained teachers, funding constraints, and delayed enrolment of children in kindergarten. Mrs Georgina Aberese-Ako, Upper East Regional Director of the Department of Children and Regional Coordinator of the Early Childhood Development Committee, noted that early childhood care and development was often overlooked in planning. As a result, some children aged four to five years are learning under trees.
Mrs Aberese-Ako emphasised that early childhood care and development covered critical areas such as health, nutrition, early learning, responsive caregiving, inclusion, safety, and security. These areas require coordinated efforts from stakeholders to ensure that children receive a solid foundation for future learning. She also identified funding as a significant challenge, noting that Children Believe had supported the committee's meetings for the past three years, but the organisation's resources were dwindling.
The committee is seeking to mobilise support from other organisations involved in early childhood development to sustain its activities, including school monitoring, advocacy, and health screening. Mrs Aberese-Ako also called on the government to train more teachers in early childhood education and ensure that those trained are posted to kindergarten schools. Currently, some schools rely on community volunteers due to the shortage of trained teachers.
Ms Belinda Akazabre, Upper East Regional Early Childhood Education Coordinator, noted that although enrolment at the early grade level had improved, there was still a shortage of teachers trained specifically in early childhood education. She stressed that children aged four were expected to be enrolled in kindergarten in public schools and called for trained early childhood teachers to be posted to the kindergarten level.
Ms Akazabre highlighted the importance of specialised skills and techniques for teaching young children, as they learn quickly but have short attention spans and can easily lose interest. She also noted that children aged four to five experience rapid brain development, making early education critical for acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to progress through basic education.
Other stakeholders, including Ms Yvonne Wonchua, an Administrator at the Upper East RCC, and Pognaba Felicia Agampoka, Queenmother of Feo, also emphasised the need for stronger collaboration and support for early childhood development activities. They urged stakeholders to work together to mobilise resources and sensitise parents on the importance of early childhood education.
Key points
- Stakeholders in Ghana's Upper East Region are calling for increased investment in early childhood education and development to address challenges such as inadequate trained teachers and funding constraints.
