This short Lessons Learned paper was requested as part of the Project completion Review process of DFID’s Support to the Education Strategic Plan 2006-2013. The education sector looks very different in 2013 from how it did in 2006. The major changes are:

• over 3 million more children enrolled in basic education (a 70% increase)
• over 4,000 more primary schools
• much improved gender parity, almost at parity at the primary level
• 15% more children at primary grade 6 showing minimum levels of competency in English, and 10% more in Maths
• a total education budget nearly 2 billion Ghanaian Cedis bigger

But a number of things look much the same, or worse:

• still over 30% of primary teachers are untrained
• the number of textbooks students can access has decreased
• wide inequalities in funding, access and quality exist between regions and between urban and rural

The demand for education – and good education – is as great now as it was a decade ago. And some of the key challenges that existed still remain, particularly in relation to high levels of teacher absenteeism, low levels of instructional time and an imbalance in education spending between salaries and investment, goods and services.

This paper is organised into six sections:

1)    Policy and commitment

2)    Access and equity

3)    Education quality

4)    Management and governance

5)    Education financing and financial management

6)    External support: donors and CSOs