Assessing progress towards universal primary education in the Kassena-Nankana District

1. Assessing progress towards universal primary education in the Kassena-Nankana District Cornelius Debpuur George Wak Paul Welaga Navrongo Health Research Centre

2. Introduction • Education as a critical factor in human development • Individual level • Societal level • International efforts to promote access to education • Several international goals for universal education since 1934; World Education Forum (Dakar 2000) & Millennium Summit (New York 2000) • Education and the MDGs • 2 of 8 MDGs on education • Education central to achievement of all other MDGs

3. MDGs on education

4. Monitoring MDGs on Education • Data requirements • Longitudinal data on schooling • Longitudinal population data • Ideally both population and schooling data should be from same source • Current practice • Schooling data from official MoE data • Population data from UN population estimates • Uniqueness of DSS • Schooling and population data from common source

5. Objectives • Examine trends in primary schooling in the Kassena-Nankana District (KND) between 2000 and 2005 • Focus on school participation and attainment • Emphasis on gender disparity • Assess progress towards universal primary schooling in the district • Establish framework for monitoring MDGs on education

6. Education in Ghana • Formal education dates back to pre-colonial times • Major developments after independence, marked by various policy changes • Current educational system largely a result of policy reforms of the 1980s • 6-3-3-4 (beginning September 2007: 6-3-4-4) • Official starting age is 6 years • Free compulsory basic education (9 years) a constitutional requirement • 1996 – 2005 as time frame for implementation of FCUBE

7. NDSS data on education • Data on education updated annually since 1997 • Targets individuals 6 years or above • Updates for members whose status is “PR” or “AB” • Compound (household) respondent provides information • Updates usually done at beginning of calendar year • Information collected • Ever attended school • Highest level attended • Currently attending school • School attending • Current level and grade

8. Methodology • Analysis limited to 6-24 year olds • Compute indicators used in monitoring MDGs • Net enrolment at Primary and JSS • Ratio of girls to boys at Primary and JSS • Literacy rate • Period of observation - 2000 to 2005

9. Profile of Kassena-Nankana District • One of 138 districts in Ghana, and one of the poorest districts • Population – 143,000 • Main ethno-linguistic groups – Kassena and Nankana • Educational facilities • 102 primary schools; 47 junior secondary schools; 7 senior secondary schools; 3 tertiary institutions

10. RESULTS SO FAR

11. Summary of samples analyzed

12. School attendance

13. Exclusion from school

14. Gross primary attendance

15. Net primary attendance

16. Gross JSS attendance

17. Net JSS attendance

18. Ratio of girls to boys in basic school

19. School attainment

20. Primary school completion - I

21. Primary school completion - II

22. Summary • Not all young people in KND attend school, but many more are likely to attend today than before • More males than females attend school • Females tend to attend school at appropriate ages than males • Evidence of late attendance and/or grade repetition • Gender gaps in schooling persist

23. Challenges to Universal Schooling • Enrolment at appropriate ages • Enrolment of females • Regular attendance • Retention in school • Grade progression • School quality • Infrastructure • Quality of teaching

24. Next steps • Examine socioeconomic disparities in school attendance • Going beyond attendance to examine • Retention • Grade progression

25. Acknowledgements • People of Kassena-Nankana District • Staff of Navrongo Health Research Centre • Rockefeller Foundation

26. Thank you!