COVID-19: Impact on Ghana's Education

On the 15th of March, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana ordered the closure of all education institutions in Ghana, effecting some 9.2 million basic school students (kindergarten, primary and junior high schools) and 0.5 million tertiary education students. By the 10th May, Ghana had recorded 4,700 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Health experts have predicted that there will be an upsurge in the number of confirmed cases in the coming weeks due in part to increased testing. This implies that the closure of the schools might extend to a longer period than expected.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of large numbers of students, teachers, and parents around the world, with millions now teaching and learning remotely from home. Although it is still early days, the pandemic is likely to have significant long-term effects on education.

In this edition of the UN Ghana Briefing Note on the Impact of COVID-19, we consider the impact of the pandemic on the country's education sector and argue that while distance education represents the most appropriate means for reaching students in this emergency period, there are challenges that must be addressed. We therefore make some recommendation to ensure that every child benefits from quality learning opportunities.