Ghana’s education sector is set for a major transformation following the signing of a groundbreaking partnership agreement by the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, that brings in US$80 million in new funding to improve foundational learning and school quality across the country.
The agreement, formalised at a high-level ceremony at the Embassy of Switzerland in Accra on 28 May, brings together the System Change Architecture for Learning Excellence (SCALE) consortium—comprising three major philanthropic organisations, 10 cocoa and chocolate industry leaders, and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).
With US$40 million raised by SCALE and an equal match from GPE’s Multiplier Fund, the total financing package now stands at US$80 million, aimed at driving improvements in literacy, numeracy, teacher training, and emotional and social wellbeing in schools nationwide. Combined with an additional US$38.8 million in supplementary grants, the new investment raises the total extra funding for the Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP) to US$118.8 million.
“This is an opportunity for us—a shared vision and innovative financing for education that comes at a crucial time,” Minister Iddrisu stated during the event. “SCALE is an extension of the successes we’ve already achieved through GALOP, and Ghana has every reason to celebrate.”
Driving Systemic Change
SCALE is designed to overhaul how education is delivered and measured in Ghana, prioritising child-centered learning and evidence-based interventions. The new funding will support an expansion of GALOP’s reach from 10,000 to 16,000 schools, with over 14,700 kindergartens also set to benefit. The initiative will also launch the Ghana Education Evidence and Data Lab (GEEDLab) within the Ministry of Education, to improve decision-making and policy design.
Importantly, the funding targets cocoa-growing regions, where child labor remains a concern. Research from the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) shows that quality education can significantly reduce child labor rates. SCALE’s Communities of Excellence programme will empower local districts to take an active role in shaping educational outcomes.
A Global Collaboration
The SCALE consortium includes philanthropic leaders such as the Jacobs Foundation, Fondation Botnar, and the UBS Optimus Foundation, alongside major industry partners including Nestlé, Mars, Ferrero, and Mondelez. The initiative builds on successful models like Côte d’Ivoire’s Child Learning and Education Facility (CLEF).
“SCALE offers not just funding, but access to a wide pool of expertise to transform how we apply evidence in education,” said Simon Sommer, Co-CEO of the Jacobs Foundation. “We expect more than 2 million children in over 100 cocoa districts to benefit.”
UBS Optimus Foundation CEO Tom Hall added, “This is a model of how collaborative giving can deliver impact at scale, by aligning the strengths of all partners.”
Andrea Studer, CEO of Fondation Botnar, emphasized the importance of holistic development: “Education must go beyond academics. It must foster empathy, resilience, and critical thinking—values that SCALE is championing.”
A Timely Investment
At a time when international aid to education is shrinking, Ghana’s innovative financing model stands out. With a global education funding gap estimated at US$100 billion, the SCALE initiative demonstrates how public-private partnerships can fill critical gaps and deliver long-term impact.
About SCALE:
SCALE (System Change Architecture for Learning Excellence) is a multistakeholder initiative co-designed with Ghana’s Ministry of Education, aimed at transforming educational systems for better learning outcomes, with support from leading foundations, global education partners, and cocoa and chocolate companies.
About GALOP:
GALOP is the Ministry of Education’s flagship programme to improve learning outcomes in underperforming basic schools across Ghana. Since 2020, it has directed over US$218 million toward improving education equity and accountability.
