Ghana reaffirms commitment to play-based learning
Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening play-based learning as the foundation for quality early childhood education, with stakeholders emphasising that play is how children learn and is essential to their holistic development.
The call was made during the commemoration of the International Day of Play held at the Pantang Presbyterian School Park in Accra on Thursday, where schoolchildren participated in a variety of fun and interactive activities designed to demonstrate the power of play in learning.
It was on the theme: ‘Play is not a break from Learning; It is how Children Learn.’
The event brought together representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service (GES), and development partners, including Right to Play, Sabre Education, and Lively Minds, alongside educators, parents, community members, and other stakeholders to celebrate the role of play in shaping children’s learning, wellbeing, and future success.
Speaking at the event, Mr Isaac Atta Baah, Head of Early Childhood Education at the Ministry of Education, stated that Ghana has made remarkable progress over the past decade in expanding access to kindergarten education, while strengthening curriculum delivery, teacher development, and support systems for young learners.
He noted that the country’s focus is now equally on improving the quality of learning experiences through play-based methodologies that place children at the centre of the learning process.
“Every child, regardless of where they are born, deserves access to quality learning experiences from the very beginning of life. Children learn best through active, engaging, and joyful experiences such as exploration, storytelling, movement, creativity, and play,” Mr Atta Baah said.
He explained that play-based learning supports foundational literacy and numeracy while nurturing critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, confidence, resilience, and creativity.
He revealed that as part of Ghana’s ongoing education reforms, approximately 30,000 kindergarten teachers are being trained and supported to deliver high-quality play-based instruction aligned with the national curriculum through one of the country’s largest early childhood education quality improvement programmes.
Mr Atta Baah said the initiative was being implemented through partnerships involving the Government of Ghana and organisations including UNICEF, UNESCO, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), Jacobs Foundation, Sabre Education, Lively Minds, Right to Play, Innovations for Poverty Action, and other partners, with the shared goal of ensuring that quality early learning reaches every child, regardless of location or background.
Education Specialist at Right to Play Ghana, Mr Kwabena Gao, stressed that play-based methodology was central to the successful implementation of Ghana’s education curriculum.
He said when teachers intentionally incorporate play into classroom instruction, children develop essential competencies such as problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork, communication, leadership, and collaboration.
Senior Manager for Policy and Advocacy at Sabre Education, Mrs Margaret Brew-Ward, highlighted the important role of parents and communities in supporting early learning.
She encouraged caregivers to engage children in simple activities such as storytelling, singing, drawing, counting everyday objects, and involving them in household tasks, noting that meaningful learning does not depend on expensive toys but on everyday interactions that stimulate curiosity and development.
BY GORDON WELLU
