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Low budget, teacher absenteeism, causes of poor performance in basic School.
UNICEF education team and journalists at the event
The decline in budget allocation for Ghana’s basic education sector and high rate of teacher absenteeism have been identified as some of the major causes for the drop in performance of school children at that level of education.
According to a United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) statistics, a significant decline in basic school allocation has been recorded in recent years, explaining that in 2019, 39 per cent of the education budget was allocated to basic education, but that figure dropped to 19.6 per cent in 2024.
This came to light last week Thursday at the third UNICEF Media Café addressed by the Chief of the UNICEF Education team, Ms Christin McConnell.
According to her, about 98 per cent of the current budget allocated to basic education is spent on salaries, leaving little room for resources such as infrastructure, learning materials, and teacher training which she said had directly impacted the quality of education received by children.
Also, she stated that about 11 per cent of teachers are absent from school on any given day across all the levels, contributing to the non-effective learning for almost six years.
Despite these challenges, Ms McConnell noted that there had been significant progress in early childhood education with over 120,000 kindergarten children receiving basic learning materials and health screening as part of an initiative dubbed, ‘My First Day at School.’
She further stated that UNICEF’s differentiated learning programme which aims at providing remedial education to struggling students has also been instrumental in improving quality and early childhood education.
An Education Officer at UNICEF Ghana, Ms Rhoda Enchill speaking on access and inclusion in education disclosed that an estimated 40,000 children with disabilities in Ghana had never attended school.
According to her, the figure underscores the ongoing challenges faced by children with special needs in accessing education, despite government efforts to make school more inclusive.
She mentioned that 1.2 million children aged between four and 17 were still out of school across Ghana, adding that the figure included 623,000 primary school-aged children who are not enrolled.
Ms Enchill said despite the progress made in access to education, foundational learning levels remain low explaining that children were still struggling to read at the grade levels.
She indicated that results from the 2022 National Standard Test (NCT) revealed that only five out of 10 children in grade four could read.
And as part of efforts to standardise and promote inclusivity and sign language in the country, Ghana has developed a harmonised sign language dictionary for deaf teachers and learners.
A sign language dictionary is a resource that provides definitions, illustrations, or video demonstrations of signs used in a specific sign language.
The dictionary, she stated, will serve as a reference for both deaf and hearing individuals to learn and understand the meanings and hand gestures associated with words, phrases, or concepts in sign language.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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