Ghana has set a 2030 target to significantly improve literacy, numeracy and psychosocial development among children aged four to eight, as the government moves to address persistent learning gaps in the country’s basic education system.
The target, announced by Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, forms part of the government’s 2026–2040 Foundational Learning Agenda, which seeks to ensure children acquire essential skills during their early years of education.
Speaking at the launch of the agenda in Accra on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, the Vice President stressed that improving foundational learning was critical to the country’s educational development and long-term economic ambitions.
“A fundamental truth is that our education system cannot succeed if our children cannot read, write or count confidently,” she said.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang noted that although successive governments had invested in expanding access to education, improving infrastructure and developing teachers, getting children into school alone was not enough to guarantee meaningful learning outcomes.
She said equal attention must be given to what pupils actually learn and the knowledge and abilities they acquire as they progress through the education system.
According to her, children between the ages of four and eight are at a critical stage of development, when they begin building the language, literacy and numeracy skills needed to understand more complex subjects and learn independently.
She explained that foundational learning must also reflect the different circumstances in which children grow up, noting that some enter school with access to learning resources at home, while others depend largely on their schools for educational support.
The Vice President said improving early education would help reduce the extent to which a child’s future opportunities are determined by their family background and socioeconomic circumstances.
She further linked the country’s foundational learning ambitions to its broader economic transformation agenda, arguing that Ghana’s development goals would require a population equipped with the ability to think, reason and apply knowledge.
“An economy that produces more of what it consumes, processes more of its agricultural outputs and develops competitive industries requires people who can learn, reason, adapt and apply knowledge in practical ways,” she stated.
As part of the proposed reforms, the government is considering curricular revisions to give Ghanaian languages a stronger role in early literacy instruction.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang expressed support for the increased use of local languages in teaching young learners, indicating that the proposed programme would first be piloted before any wider implementation, subject to Cabinet approval.
She also called for stronger coordination among institutions responsible for implementing the agenda, urging the Ministry of Education to build on successful interventions, address existing shortcomings and avoid unnecessary duplication of programmes.
The Vice President emphasised the need for continuous monitoring of learning outcomes to identify schools and pupils requiring additional support and ensure that interventions deliver measurable improvements.
She commended Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu and his team for developing the long-term agenda but stressed that its success would depend on sustained commitment from teachers, parents, education authorities and development partners.
The launch featured the unveiling of the Foundational Learning Ecosystem Framework and strategic documents, the handover of learning materials, and the inauguration of the National Foundational Learning Working Group.
A National Foundational Learning Compact was also signed to strengthen collaboration and establish a common framework for implementing the agenda.
The initiative was launched under the theme, “Foundational Learning: The Bedrock of Ghana’s Sustainable Future.”
The 2030 target is expected to provide a benchmark for measuring progress in foundational learning across gender, geographical location, ability and socioeconomic circumstances, as Ghana seeks to improve the quality of basic education and equip children with the skills needed for their future.
