CLEAR Project Boosts Community Participation in Education across Northern Ghana

The Youth Empowerment for Life (YEFL) Ghana has highlighted significant gains made under the Citizen-Led Action for Educational Accountability and Responsiveness (CLEAR) Project, describing community participation and radio engagement as key drivers in improving access to quality basic education in deprived districts across northern Ghana.

Speaking in an interview with Info Radio following a visit to the station, Project Officer at YEFL Ghana, Samira Dawood, said the three-year project had empowered communities to take active roles in addressing educational challenges rather than relying solely on government interventions.

The YEFL team during the visit honoured Info Radio, a partner radio station, with a citation for its contribution towards the successful implementation of the project.

Ms. Dawood explained that the CLEAR Project is a three-partner consortium initiative involving YEFL Ghana, GDCA and School for Life, with each organisation playing different roles in governance, youth engagement and policy advocacy.

CLEAR is funded by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) under the Education OutLoud (EOL) Operational Component 2 (OC2) through Oxfam/IBIS International. The project is being implemented in 6 districts (East Mamprusi, Nanumba North, Northeast Gonja, Talensi, Tatale-Sanguli and Wa West) across 5 regions (Northern, North-East, Savanna, Upper East and Upper West) targeting a total of 2700 citizens of 180 citizens groups.

“This has been a three-year journey so far, and it has been nothing but impactful because we see the essence of education as the responsibility of everybody,” she said.

She noted that the project was designed to create awareness at the community level and encourage citizens to actively contribute to improving education delivery in their respective communities.

Ms. Dawood said the project worked with community-based structures such as School Management Committees, Girls’ Caucuses and community journalists to amplify discussions on education and accountability.

She explained that the Girls’ Caucus was created to provide safe spaces for young girls whose voices are often unheard within communities.

According to her, the project had contributed to increased public awareness on educational issues, including inclusive education for children living with disabilities.

“We’ve seen a change of mindset where parents with children who are disabled are beginning to understand that denying such children access to education is wrong,” she stated.

Ms. Dawood added that communities now better understood issues relating to capitation grants and school financing through the project’s “open school data” initiative, where information on school funds and expenditures are publicly displayed for community monitoring.

She said the intervention had encouraged communities to support schools through renovation works, construction of kitchens and dining halls, provision of furniture and accommodation for teachers posted to remote communities.

Girls’ Caucus members on Info Radio

“We’ve seen communities come together to support damaged schools and provide facilities that improve learning conditions for children,” she added.

Although the project is nearing completion, Ms. Dawood expressed optimism that the capacities built among community groups and young people would sustain advocacy and accountability efforts in the education sector.

She commended partner radio stations, particularly Info Radio, for helping to amplify educational issues and create awareness among parents and community members.

“As part of building the capacities of young people to have strategic conversations around educational gaps, we saw the importance of radio discussions in impacting communities positively,” she said.

According to her, phone-in discussions on radio programmes revealed that many parents previously lacked knowledge about Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), school support systems and government educational initiatives such as the “My First Day at School” programme.

She further disclosed that YEFL Ghana was engaging radio stations to continue working with trained young people who had acquired skills in story writing, advocacy and video production under the project.

Project and MEAL Officer at YEFL Ghana, Ndukwe Emmanuel, also praised Info Radio for playing what he described as a public interest role in promoting socioeconomic and educational issues affecting communities.

“We are glad to keep partnering with them because key impacts from the CLEAR Project need to be sustained,” he said.

Mr. Emmanuel cited several achievements recorded under the project, including advocacy that contributed to the posting of additional teachers to the Siiru Basic School in the Wa West District after concerns were repeatedly raised about inadequate staffing and poor infrastructure.

He also mentioned the completion of a six-unit classroom block at Kantu in the Wa West District, which he said was made possible through sustained advocacy by citizen-led groups under the project.

“These are tangible examples of people coming together to push for quality education because education is not just the responsibility of government,” he stressed.

Mr. Emmanuel urged citizens, parents and learners to continue speaking up on educational challenges in their communities to ensure accountability and improved service delivery.