Reading Ghana – Western Region (2022-2026)

Strong foundational literacy skills are essential for children to succeed throughout their education. Yet in Ghana’s Western Region, many children continue to struggle to develop the reading skills they need to progress through school, a challenge made even more urgent by the learning losses associated with COVID-19 school closures.

Building on CODE’s decades of experience advancing literacy in Ghana, Reading Ghana – Western Region is a multi-year initiative designed to improve literacy outcomes for primary school students in the communities surrounding Tarkwa and Damang. The program is supported by the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation and implemented with CODE’s local partner, the Olinga Foundation for Human Development, in close collaboration with the Ghana Education Service.

The program will work across 37 primary schools, strengthening two essential ingredients for literacy success: effective teachers and access to high-quality, engaging books. At least 259 teachers and head teachers will participate in intensive professional development focused on research-based, learner-centred and gender-responsive approaches to teaching reading and writing. Training will be reinforced through regular classroom mentoring and weekly teacher learning circles, helping educators translate new knowledge into stronger classroom practice.

CODE will also dramatically expand children’s access to reading materials, distributing a minimum of 22,200 books, with at least 100 books per grade in every participating school. Books will include titles in English, Twi and Fante, with an emphasis on engaging, culturally relevant stories written, illustrated and published by Ghanaians. Classrooms will also receive additional literacy materials to create richer environments for learning.

Beyond the classroom, 37 student reading clubs, family literacy events and ongoing community engagement will help nurture a wider culture of reading. Through sustained investment in teachers, books, schools and communities, Reading Ghana aims to give children in Tarkwa and Damang the foundational literacy skills they need to thrive in school and beyond.