Publication: Ghana Engaging the Private Sector in Education: SABER Pilot Country Report 2015
Loading...
Published
2017-06
ISSN
Date
2017-09-08
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
Systems approach for better education results (SABER) - engaging the private sector (EPS) research in Ghana has found that enrollment rates for primary and secondary education have increased significantly. At both the primary and secondary levels, quality, and equity remain challenges. The private sector plays an increasingly significant role in education at both levels. Based on a review of existing policies, SABER-EPS offers the following recommendations for Ghana to enhance private sector engagement in education and meet the challenges of access, quality, and equity: (1) strengthen policies to ensure independent private schools are more accountable for learning outcomes; (2) provide greater incentives to support a diverse number of private school providers while ensuring equitable access; and (3) encourage innovation in schools by ensuring greater flexibility in managing schools, services, and staff. This report presents an analysis of how effectively policies in Ghana engage the private sector in basic (primary and secondary) education. The report provides an overview of the SABER-EPS tool, followed by a description of the basic education system in Ghana that focuses on the private sector and government policies related to the private provision of education. The report then benchmarks Ghana’s policy environment utilizing the SABER-EPS framework and offers policy options to enhance access and learning for all children in primary and secondary school.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Baum, Donald Rey; Abdul-Hamid, Husein; De Brular, Laura Lewis; Lusk-Stover, Oni; Tettey, Leslie Ofosu. 2017. Ghana Engaging the Private Sector in Education: SABER Pilot Country Report 2015. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/28258 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication The Role of the Private Sector in Providing Basic Education Services in Kasoa, Ghana(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2015)Despite significant government investments in the public education system, population growth and migration have led to an undersupply of school places, especially in urban centers, leading to an increase in private education enrollments in Ghana. Ghana has nearly doubled enrollment at the primary and junior high school levels since the introduction of free and compulsory universal basic education. Ghana’s primary net enrollment rate of 86.8 percent in 2013 is still slightly below the average for lower-middle-income countries, which was 87.3 percent. Its net rate of secondary enrollment (including junior and senior high school), 51 percent, is also lower than the 58 percent average for lower-middle-income countries (EdStats). Ghana’s public spending on education is comparable to that of other middle-income countries and the government is currently focusing its attention on upper secondary education (senior high school), with plans to build more schools to increase access. Rising enrollment rates have not been accompanied by gains in student learning; some parents are choosing private schools due to their perceived higher quality. The education system in Ghana is currently facing fiscal pressures due to low levels of accountability, inefficient allocation of resources, and plans to expand upper secondary provision. Although the Ghanaian government has made progress in improving equitable access to education through new programs and policies, government resources are currently unevenly distributed across regions in terms of spending per pupil as well as the allocation of teachers. Ghana currently has a budget deficit, with teacher salaries forming a large part of recurrent costs in education. The country also plans to expand education at the senior secondary level to meet the needs of the economy. The construction of 200 schools will put further pressure on government budgets.Publication The Role of the Private Sector in Lagos, Nigeria(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2017-06-30)Private schools are currently educating the majority of primary and secondary education students in Lagos State, Nigeria. As such, Lagos is one of the largest private school markets in the world. Notwithstanding the influence of this sector, not enough is known about the operations of private schools in Lagos State, their impact on student learning opportunities, and their overall implications for the economic and social development of Nigeria. This report presents results from analyses of: (i) the regulatory environment governing private education provision; (ii) implementation of existing regulations; and (iii) the provision of private school services in Lagos. The results of this research can be used to inform the government on how to effectively regulate and engage with the private education sector.Publication What Matters Most for Engaging the Private Sector in Education(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2014-07)This paper provides an overview of what matters most for engaging the private sector in basic education. In many countries, private schools educate a substantial and growing share of the student population. The goal of this paper is not to advocate for private schooling, but to outline the most effective evidence based policies that governments can use to orient these non-state providers toward promoting learning for all children and youth. Systems approach for better education results (SABER) engaging the private sector (EPS) builds upon the framework for effective service delivery outlined in the World Bank's World Development Report 2004, making services work for the poor, as well as in the World Bank's education sector strategy 2020, learning for all. To assist countries in improving their policy frameworks for private education, SABER EPS analyzes and benchmarks four policy goals that, according to the global evidence, can strengthen provider accountability and promote learning for all. These policy goals are: (1) encouraging innovation by providers; (2) holding schools accountable; (3) empowering all parents, students, and communities; and (4) promoting diversity of supply. Each of these policy goals is benchmarked across four common models of private service delivery: (a) independent private schools, (b) government funded private schools, (c) privately managed schools, and (d) voucher schools. In its country level application of the framework and tools, SABER EPS assesses only the modes of private delivery that already exist in each country.Publication Malawi Engaging the Private Sector in Education(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2017-06)This report presents an analysis of how effectively current policies in Malawi engage the private sector in primary and secondary education. The analysis draws on the engaging the private sector (EPS) framework, a product of the World Bank’s systems approach for better education results (SABER). SABER-EPS research in Malawi found that the net enrollment rate for primary education has increased significantly, to 89 percent, while secondary net enrollment rate remains low, at only 11 percent as of 2013 (the latest available data). At both the primary and secondary levels, quality, and equity are challenges. The private sector plays an increasingly significant role in education at both levels. Based on a review of existing policies, SABER-EPS offers the following recommendations for enhancing private sector engagement in the education sector in the country in order to meet the challenges of access, quality, and equity: (1) concentrate on improving the quality of learning outcomes by encouraging continuous improvement at the school level by means of school improvement planning and incentives; (2) empower parents by ensuring that they are given information on school quality that enables them to make informed choices and are not hindered by restrictive school selection criteria; and (3) create a regulatory environment that encourages greater supply of school places to help overcome constraints, particularly at the secondary level. The report provides an overview of SABER-EPS, followed by a description of the primary and secondary education system in Malawi with a focus on the private sector and government policies related to the private provision of education. The report then benchmarks Malawi’s policy environment utilizing the SABER-EPS Framework and offers policy options to enhance access and learning for all children in primary and secondary school.Publication Zambia Engaging the Private Sector in Education(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2017-06)This report presents an analysis of how effectively the current policies of Zambia engage the private sector in basic (primary and secondary) education. The analysis draws on the engaging the private sector (EPS) framework, a product of the World Bank’s systems approach for better education results (SABER). SABER-EPS research in Zambia has found that despite impressive gains in enrollment, education quality remains a serious concern, as does equity - especially beyond the primary level. School providers in Zambia include private schools, community schools, and grant-aided schools. Non-government schools account for a sizable share of education service provision in the country. Based on a review of existing policies, SABER-EPS offers the following recommendations for Zambia to enhance its engagement with the non-state sector in education and to meet the challenges of access, quality, and equity: strengthen system accountability measures; consider a needs-based inspection system where underperforming schools receive greater scrutiny and support; and increase the information available to parents on school quality, including via school report cards. The report provides an overview of SABER-EPS, followed by a description of the basic education system in Zambia, with a focus on the non-state sector and government policies related to the private provision of education. The report then benchmarks Zambia’s policy environment utilizing the SABER-EPS framework and finally offers policy options to enhance learning for all children in primary and secondary school.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Morocco Economic Update, Winter 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-04-03)Despite the drought causing a modest deceleration of overall GDP growth to 3.2 percent, the Moroccan economy has exhibited some encouraging trends in 2024. Non-agricultural growth has accelerated to an estimated 3.8 percent, driven by a revitalized industrial sector and a rebound in gross capital formation. Inflation has dropped below 1 percent, allowing Bank al-Maghrib to begin easing its monetary policy. While rural labor markets remain depressed, the economy has added close to 162,000 jobs in urban areas. Morocco’s external position remains strong overall, with a moderate current account deficit largely financed by growing foreign direct investment inflows, underpinned by solid investor confidence indicators. Despite significant spending pressures, the debt-to-GDP ratio is slowly declining.Publication Lebanon Economic Monitor, Fall 2022(Washington, DC, 2022-11)The economy continues to contract, albeit at a somewhat slower pace. Public finances improved in 2021, but only because spending collapsed faster than revenue generation. Testament to the continued atrophy of Lebanon’s economy, the Lebanese Pound continues to depreciate sharply. The sharp deterioration in the currency continues to drive surging inflation, in triple digits since July 2020, impacting the poor and vulnerable the most. An unprecedented institutional vacuum will likely further delay any agreement on crisis resolution and much needed reforms; this includes prior actions as part of the April 2022 International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff-level agreement (SLA). Divergent views among key stakeholders on how to distribute the financial losses remains the main bottleneck for reaching an agreement on a comprehensive reform agenda. Lebanon needs to urgently adopt a domestic, equitable, and comprehensive solution that is predicated on: (i) addressing upfront the balance sheet impairments, (ii) restoring liquidity, and (iii) adhering to sound global practices of bail-in solutions based on a hierarchy of creditors (starting with banks’ shareholders) that protects small depositors.Publication Argentina Country Climate and Development Report(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-11)The Argentina Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) explores opportunities and identifies trade-offs for aligning Argentina’s growth and poverty reduction policies with its commitments on, and its ability to withstand, climate change. It assesses how the country can: reduce its vulnerability to climate shocks through targeted public and private investments and adequation of social protection. The report also shows how Argentina can seize the benefits of a global decarbonization path to sustain a more robust economic growth through further development of Argentina’s potential for renewable energy, energy efficiency actions, the lithium value chain, as well as climate-smart agriculture (and land use) options. Given Argentina’s context, this CCDR focuses on win-win policies and investments, which have large co-benefits or can contribute to raising the country’s growth while helping to adapt the economy, also considering how human capital actions can accompany a just transition.Publication Classroom Assessment to Support Foundational Literacy(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-03-21)This document focuses primarily on how classroom assessment activities can measure students’ literacy skills as they progress along a learning trajectory towards reading fluently and with comprehension by the end of primary school grades. The document addresses considerations regarding the design and implementation of early grade reading classroom assessment, provides examples of assessment activities from a variety of countries and contexts, and discusses the importance of incorporating classroom assessment practices into teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers. The structure of the document is as follows. The first section presents definitions and addresses basic questions on classroom assessment. Section 2 covers the intersection between assessment and early grade reading by discussing how learning assessment can measure early grade reading skills following the reading learning trajectory. Section 3 compares some of the most common early grade literacy assessment tools with respect to the early grade reading skills and developmental phases. Section 4 of the document addresses teacher training considerations in developing, scoring, and using early grade reading assessment. Additional issues in assessing reading skills in the classroom and using assessment results to improve teaching and learning are reviewed in section 5. Throughout the document, country cases are presented to demonstrate how assessment activities can be implemented in the classroom in different contexts.Publication World Development Report 2006(Washington, DC, 2005)This year’s Word Development Report (WDR), the twenty-eighth, looks at the role of equity in the development process. It defines equity in terms of two basic principles. The first is equal opportunities: that a person’s chances in life should be determined by his or her talents and efforts, rather than by pre-determined circumstances such as race, gender, social or family background. The second principle is the avoidance of extreme deprivation in outcomes, particularly in health, education and consumption levels. This principle thus includes the objective of poverty reduction. The report’s main message is that, in the long run, the pursuit of equity and the pursuit of economic prosperity are complementary. In addition to detailed chapters exploring these and related issues, the Report contains selected data from the World Development Indicators 2005‹an appendix of economic and social data for over 200 countries. This Report offers practical insights for policymakers, executives, scholars, and all those with an interest in economic development.