The Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, has reiterated its commitment to helping Ghana overcome some of its educational challenges by initiating a new project that will focus on the improvement of teaching and learning Mathematics in Ghanaian schools. The project: “Project to support the Teaching of Mathematics in Basic Schools”, a technical cooperation program from JICA, will help improve the learning of Mathematics among young students across the country.
Key learning gaps have been identified in both national and international assessments of the teaching and learning of Mathematics in primary schools in Ghana. These challenges are evident in Ghana’s low scores in Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The National Education Achievement (NEA) survey corroborated the observation and itemized some underlying challenges.
The “Project to support the Teaching of Mathematics in Basic Schools” started in November, 2022 and is supporting the development of students’ learning materials, teachers’ teaching guides, the design of teacher training packages and the utilization of teaching materials in primary mathematics education.
Through the support of an advisor, JICA is working with the Ghana Education Service and the STEM Resource Centre to implement a series of initiatives that would impact the teaching and learning of mathematics in basic Schools.
The 3-year project seeks to achieve the following: develop a situational analysis document on the challenges in primary mathematics education and develop students’ learning materials and teachers’ guide in primary mathematics, based on the Ghana Education Service’s new national curriculum. The project, in addition, will ensure there is a training design aimed at utilizing the developed students’ learning materials and teachers’ guideline in primary mathematics through the Nationwide In-Service Training, INSET.
Since 1977, JICA has been supporting the Government of Ghana to achieve its developmental agenda and programmes in areas including education, health, private sector development, infrastructure, agriculture and others.