What is the initiative and where is it implemented (city or country, for example)?
In 1997, the Government of Ghana completed the first phase of the National Functional Literacy Programme (NFLP) successfully. The year 2000 marked the launch of the second phase. The programme targets rural communities predominantly in the northern regions of Ghana, aiming explicitly to educate adults with challenging backgrounds who lack basic literacy skills. The goal is to equip participants with functional literacy skills in the Ghanaian language, basic numeracy skills and to build their capacity to generate income. The programme is free of charge, and everyone lacking literacy skills is eligible to enrol (IRIF, 2005).
How was the initiative established? How was it implemented?
In the 1980s, Ghana’s Ministry of Education set up the Non-Formal Education Division (NFED) to work on eradicating illiteracy by implementing educational programmes. The NFED formulates and pursues policies, coordinates and implements the programme, develops materials, supervises, monitors and evaluates the projects. The NFED consists of three departments: logistics, materials development and research and monitoring.
Pilot projects on enhancing literacy, funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), saw significant improvement, which led to the expansion of the projects on the national level. In 1992, the Government of Ghana adopted a five-year policy called the Functional Literacy Skills Project (FLSP).
The NFLP followed the FLSP, implemented in all regions of Ghana. Classes were distributed in accordance with the needs of the communities; prioritized locations included rural areas. The highest rates of illiteracy were displayed in the northern regions of Ghana, which made them the main targets of the programme.
The NFLP modified Freirean methodology to accommodate the needs and abilities of participants; and delivered course content with the help of visual materials; it used syllabication to develop reading skills. Topics selected aligned with community including farming, immunization, healthcare and safe drinking water. After completing the entire course of literacy in their local language, participants can then work on English literacy (IRIF, 2005).
Which stakeholders are involved in the design and/or implementation of the initiative? Which sectors do they represent?
The primary stakeholder of the programme is the Government of Ghana, represented by the Ministry of Education through the NFED. International stakeholders include the UK Department for International Development and UNESCO, which provide financial support. The NFED collaborated with non-governmental organizations to develop projects within the framework of the initiative. Educational institutions constitute another share of stakeholders, including the Ghana Institute of Literacy Languages and Bible Translation (GILLBT) and the Ghana Institute of Languages, both of which contributed to material development (IRIF, 2005).
What are the impacts of the initiative in terms of facilitating lifelong learning? Who does it benefit and how?
The project proved successful in terms of increasing literacy levels among the participants. In terms of facilitating learning, it also contributed to increasing the value of education, resulting in more children enrolling in schools. With enhanced knowledge of their rights and their newly-developed skills, the participants have improved their quality of life. Public health campaigns were conducted alongside the workshops on healthcare, which contributed to the successful prevention of diseases and increasing health indicators. However, the programme still faced some challenges. A number of participants could not retain the skills gained after completing the programme; achievements in writing skills were insignificant and the number of female participants was low.
By the end of 2003 following the launch of the first phase, about 2.2 million people aged 15-44 had participated in the programme. Although 60 per cent of participants were female, dropout rates were lower among men.
According to studies, the second phase of the programme showed more improvement than the first. The most substantial achievements were reached in reading skills; writing skills were overlooked. Other activities conducted within the framework of the initiative did result in community representation and increased civic participation. For example, national celebrations and parades were conducted on Independence Day, May Day and Farmers’ Day. Such events allow participants to showcase their achievements and raise awareness on the issues they face (IRIF, 2005).
References
IRIF (Inter-Regional Inequality Facility). 2005. National Functional Literacy Programme, Ghana. [Online] London, Overseas Development Institute. Available at: https://odi.org/en/publications/national-functional-literacy-program-ghana/ [Accessed 6 November 2021].