Reading Ghana – Ashanti Region (2016-2022)

While Ghana has made important progress in expanding access to education, too many children are progressing through school without developing the strong literacy skills they need to succeed. In the Ashanti Region, limited teacher training and a shortage of high-quality, age-appropriate reading materials continue to constrain learning, particularly as students move into upper primary and junior high school.

In 2016, CODE launched Reading Ghana, a six-year literacy initiative in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region. Supported by Asanko Gold Ghana and implemented with CODE’s long-standing local partner, the Ghana Book Trust, the project builds on more than 20 years of CODE’s experience advancing literacy and learning in Ghana.

Reading Ghana aims to improve learning outcomes for upper-primary and junior high school students by strengthening their reading, writing and critical-thinking skills. Over six years, the project plans to reach 6,400 students across 32 schools, while building the skills of 100 teachers, 32 head teachers, 32 teacher-librarians and 20 Ghana Education Service officers.

At the heart of the project is CODE’s comprehensive approach to literacy: pairing well-trained educators with high-quality, culturally relevant and reading-level appropriate books. Teachers and school leaders will receive professional development in effective, child-centred and gender-sensitive approaches to literacy instruction, reinforced through ongoing classroom coaching and mentoring. Local lead trainers and education officials will also build their capacity to sustain and extend these approaches over time.

Reading Ghana will also help participating schools create vibrant, text-rich learning environments through classroom reading collections, reading corners and school libraries. Locally developed books, including works by Ghanaian authors and illustrators, will be complemented by digital reading resources. Reading competitions, mobile library visits and family literacy activities will encourage children to read both for learning and for enjoyment, while engaging parents and communities in supporting their children’s literacy development.

By investing in teachers, quality reading materials and local capacity, Reading Ghana aims to create sustainable literacy environments where children can become confident readers, critical thinkers and lifelong learners.