Access to education in Ghana has steadily improved over the past two decades, but the quality of education has shown inconsistent progress, according to a new report released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
The Access to and Quality of Basic and Secondary Education in Ghana (2000 – 2023) Report, launched on March 25, 2025, presents a comprehensive analysis of enrolment trends, teacher availability, and student performance using data from the Education Management Information System (EMIS).
Rising Access, Lagging Quality
The report reveals remarkable growth in enrolment rates across all educational levels. Between 2001 and 2003 alone, Kindergarten Gross Enrolment Rates (GER) more than doubled from 51% to 122%, Primary GER rose from 80% to 90%, JHS GER increased from 64% to 98%, and SHS GER tripled from 25% to 72%.
However, Net Enrolment Rates (NER), which measure age-appropriate enrolment, show that many pupils at all levels are not enrolled at the expected age.
In 2023, only 66% of children aged 4 to 5 years were in Kindergarten, while 80% of children aged 6 to 11 years were in primary school. At the JHS level, less than half (47%) of children aged 12 to 14 years were enrolled at the appropriate age.
Gender and Regional Disparities
While gender disparities in access have narrowed, with parity achieved at the primary level, gender gaps in academic performance persist.
In the 2021 WASSCE, boys outperformed girls in mathematics, with pass rates of 70% compared to 60%, while girls had higher pass rates in English (60%) than boys (50%).
Regional disparities are even more pronounced, especially in teacher availability and student performance.
Pupil-to-trained-teacher ratios in the Northern, North East, and Savannah regions exceed 50 pupils per trained teacher — more than double the ratio in Greater Accra (25 pupils per trained teacher).
Performance gaps are stark. In the 2019 WASSCE, the Bono Region recorded the highest mathematics pass rate, nearly five times higher than the North East Region’s 21%.
In English, Bono’s pass rate (75.3%) was more than ten times greater than those recorded in the North East (5.1%) and Savannah (8.0%) regions.
Missed Targets and Policy Implications
The report highlights missed policy targets outlined in the Education Strategic Plan (2018–2030), particularly in net enrolment across all education levels.
It also underscores the need for greater investment in teacher training, infrastructure, and school resources to prevent the system from being overwhelmed.
During the launch, Minister for Education Hon. Haruna Iddrisu stressed the importance of using the report’s findings to guide policy decisions at the ongoing National Education Forum.
“The findings of this report will provide invaluable insights to inform the discussions and policy decisions of the National Education Forum Planning Committee, ensuring that our strategies are grounded in data and aligned with national priorities,” he said.
Government Statistician Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim presented the report’s key takeaways, while Danish Ambassador Tom Noring and National Education Forum Chairman Prof. K.T. Oduro commended Ghana’s progress but warned that without urgent investment, improvements in access could be undermined by the strain on educational quality.
The report also serves as a tool for tracking Ghana’s progress toward Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality), and 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
The Access to and Quality of Basic and Secondary Education in Ghana (2000 – 2023) Report is available for download at www.statsghana.gov.gh.
