By Ellis Ferdinand | EducationGhana.org | June 2025

The Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP) represents one of the most ambitious education reform initiatives in Ghana’s recent history. Designed as a results-based financing project, GALOP seeks to improve the quality of basic education, especially in underperforming schools.

With support from the World Bank, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), and other development partners, GALOP is transforming classrooms, teacher training, and learning assessment systems nationwide.

But what real impact is it having on learning outcomes?

🎯 Targeting the Margins: Focus on the Bottom 10,000

GALOP’s innovation lies in its targeted approach. Instead of generic interventions, the project zeroes in on the bottom 10,000 most underperforming public basic schools and all special schools. These institutions have long suffered from teacher absenteeism, inadequate learning materials, and poor classroom engagement.

By targeting the most vulnerable, GALOP avoids the “one-size-fits-all” trap, ensuring that resources reach learners who need them most.

👩🏽‍🏫 From Chalk-and-Talk to Learner-Centered Teaching

At the heart of GALOP is teacher professional development. Under a structured Continuous Professional Development (CPD) model, tens of thousands of teachers have been trained in:

• Differentiated instruction
• Formative assessment
• Inclusive education practices

Unlike past models, GALOP’s CPD is systematic, trackable, and tied to performance. The results? National assessments show modest gains in literacy and numeracy at lower primary levels. Teachers also report improved classroom confidence and better engagement with diverse learners.

📊 Data-Driven Decision Making

GALOP has helped embed a culture of data use within Ghana’s education system. The rollout of the National Standards-Based Curriculum (NSBC) and new Learning Assessment Frameworks has made it easier to track learning progress.

Tools like the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA) are providing critical data to guide national policy. Under the Ghana Learning and Accountability Framework (GLAF), schools are now held accountable for what students actually learn—not just what is taught.

🏫 Leadership, Supervision, and Accountability

Every GALOP school is required to develop a School Improvement Plan (SIP). These are not just administrative documents—they are linked to funding disbursements under the program’s Disbursement-Linked Indicators (DLIs).

Headteachers, circuit supervisors, and district officers now undergo performance reviews, ensuring that accountability runs throughout the system.

💻 Driving Digital Innovation

GALOP has also played a crucial role in digitizing learning, especially in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative has supported:

• National e-learning platforms
• Radio and TV lessons
• Pilot projects in rural districts (e.g., Ayensuano, Bawku West, Krachi East)

Digital literacy is now being embedded into foundational education, bridging equity gaps between rural and urban learners.

⚠️ Challenges That Persist

Despite its gains, GALOP still faces challenges. These include:

• Delayed capitation grants
• Infrastructural deficits
• Teacher deployment gaps
• Coordination complexity among donors, ministries, and agencies

Moving forward, GALOP II must consolidate gains, strengthen stakeholder collaboration, and institutionalize lessons from Phase I.

✅ Conclusion: A Blueprint for Africa?

GALOP is no silver bullet—but it’s a bold step in the right direction. By prioritizing teacher quality, assessment, and accountability, it is building a sustainable pathway to improve learning outcomes across Ghana.

As GALOP moves into its next phase, its success offers lessons not only for Ghana but for other countries in West Africa and beyond.

Ghana has taken the lead. The continent is watching.

About the Author
Ellis Ferdinand is an education journalist and policy analyst. He writes on education equity, governance, and reform across Africa.
📧 ellisferdinand@ymail.com | 🧵 Twitter: @highlight

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• GALOP Phase II: What to Expect from the Next Funding Window
• 31 Key Basic Education Reforms from National Dialogue
• Why Teacher Professional Development Is Central to Learning Gains