Ghana’s efforts to build a productive and competitive workforce may need to begin years before young people enter universities, training institutions or the labour market.
New research has found that the foundation of future human capital development could be strengthened by changing how children experience learning in their earliest years, through classrooms that reflect their language, culture and everyday realities.
The two-year study, titled “Impact of Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices on Social and Emotional Learning of Kindergarten Learners in Ghana,” found that integrating local culture, traditions, indigenous languages and community experiences into classroom instruction significantly improves children’s engagement, participation and social-emotional development.
Researchers say the findings have broader implications for Ghana’s economic transformation agenda, as the skills developed during early childhood, including confidence, communication, emotional intelligence, problem-solving and collaboration, are increasingly recognised as critical drivers of workforce productivity.
The findings were presented at a National Dissemination and Policy Dialogue held at the Tomreik Hotel in Accra, bringing together policymakers, officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service (GES), the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, researchers, teacher educators, development partners and early childhood practitioners.
The dialogue focused on how evidence from the research could inform education reforms and support Ghana’s long-term human capital development strategy.
Supported with CAD500,000 from the International Development Research Centre through the Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange programme, the research was conducted from July 2024 to June 2026.
Hosted by the Institute of Rural Development and Innovation Studies at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the project examined how culturally responsive teaching practices influence the social and emotional development of kindergarten learners and how such approaches can contribute to improved learning outcomes.
The technical lead of the research, Prof. Winston Kwame Abroampa, said while Ghana had made significant progress in expanding access to kindergarten education and implementing curriculum reforms since 2019, gaps remained in translating policy ambitions into classroom practices.
“There is no debate that early childhood education is critically important and has significant influence on development in later years,” he said.
According to Prof. Abroampa, culturally responsive teaching has not been sufficiently embedded into classroom practice, leaving many teachers without practical approaches for connecting children’s existing knowledge and experiences with formal learning.
The research examined how teachers use indigenous languages, culturally relevant songs, stories, games, artefacts, traditions and community experiences to make learning more meaningful while strengthening children’s social and emotional capabilities.
The study covered eight districts across the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions, using a mixed-methods approach involving baseline, intervention and endline surveys, classroom observations, focus group discussions and teacher capacity-building activities over 24 months.
More than 400 kindergarten pupils and teachers participated in the research, allowing researchers to compare schools implementing culturally responsive teaching approaches with those using conventional methods.
The findings challenge the traditional assumption that effective learning requires children to adapt entirely to classroom environments disconnected from their lived experiences.
Dr Latif Apaassongo Ibrahim, a member of the research team, explained that the project sought to replace foreign-centred classroom experiences with learning approaches that children could immediately recognise.
“This project was an attempt to infuse some culture into our classrooms. The idea that A is for Apple does not have to be when ‘Abeɛ’ is just around the corner. We wanted to bring our local representations, our cultural surroundings, our local professions and even the architecture of our neighbourhoods into the classroom rather than the westernised pedagogies we have been using all this while,” he said.
Rather than relying solely on unfamiliar examples from foreign textbooks, teachers introduced indigenous songs, local stories, familiar objects, neighbourhood occupations and community activities into lessons.
Researchers said the impact extended beyond academic participation, with evidence showing improvements in attendance and enthusiasm among learners.
Prof. Abroampa cited one participating school where some pupils previously left during lunch and often failed to return. After culturally responsive teaching approaches were introduced, attendance improved as children became more engaged with classroom activities.
“When teachers started to call their attention using familiar expressions and used local songs and objects for mathematics and literacy, school became exciting. The kids who often would leave school at midday for lunch and never return actually rushed to come back to school because the school had become more like the community,” he said.
For policymakers and education experts, the findings highlight the connection between early learning experiences and the quality of Ghana’s future workforce.
Children who develop confidence, empathy, communication skills, self-awareness and responsible decision-making from an early age are more likely to succeed academically, remain engaged in learning and eventually contribute meaningfully to the economy.
The Director in charge of Early Childhood Education at the Ghana Education Service, Ms Adisa Tassa, said strengthening social and emotional learning had become increasingly important due to changes in family structures and growing influence of digital media on children.
“Without a strong foundation, we cannot have solid human resources,” she said.
She noted that many children were increasingly learning behaviours from television and digital platforms, making deliberate efforts to develop emotional regulation, patience and social skills more necessary.
Mr Isaac Atta Baah, Principal Programme Officer for Early Childhood Education at the Ministry of Education, said building an inclusive education system required understanding how teaching practices connect with children’s cultural backgrounds.
“Social and emotional development forms the bedrock of a child’s future success and ensuring our classrooms are culturally responsive is a key component of that foundation,” he stated.
He urged stakeholders to move beyond presenting research findings and focus on translating evidence into policies that can influence future generations.
Dr Samuel Awuku, representing the Minister of Education, said foundational learning remained a major priority as Ghana continued with curriculum reforms.
Drawing from his own childhood experiences, he questioned why children often enter school with valuable knowledge acquired from their communities, only for formal education systems to overlook those experiences.
“The classroom should build on what children already know before coming to school rather than assuming they know nothing,” he said.
He argued that indigenous language, culture and identity should be treated as educational assets capable of improving critical thinking, communication and problem-solving skills.
The policy dialogue also examined practical steps for institutionalising culturally responsive teaching, including strengthening teacher preparation, integrating the approach into teacher education, improving teacher deployment and expanding digital support for early childhood education.
During a panel discussion moderated by Prof. Abroampa, Prof. Paul Sarfo Mensah, Co-Lead of the project, emphasised the importance of focusing on teachers as the drivers of education transformation.
“Let us look at the teacher,” he said, advocating for a teacher-centred policy approach.
He argued that curriculum reforms alone would not transform learning outcomes unless teachers were properly trained, supported and empowered.
Mariam Antonio, School Improvement Support Officer at Ghana East-Abokobi, said the intervention had changed classroom dynamics in participating schools.
“It has been a kind of liberation for our teachers and for our learners. Learning has become learner-centred. The children are confident and eager to participate,” she said.
Teacher educator Agnes Tetteh also called for a stronger practical approach to teacher training.
“We need to move beyond knowledge towards practicality. If we say culturally responsive teaching is good, lecturers should demonstrate it in class so teacher trainees experience it and can replicate it in their own classrooms,” she said.
As Ghana pursues economic transformation through innovation, industrialisation and digitalisation, researchers argue that developing the skills needed for future jobs requires investment in the earliest stages of learning.
The evidence suggests that classrooms that affirm children’s identities do more than improve attendance and participation, they help build confidence, creativity, resilience and communication skills that shape future workers, entrepreneurs and leaders.
For a country seeking to strengthen its human capital base and compete in a knowledge-driven global economy, the message from the research is clear: Ghana’s future workforce is built long before the workplace, and it begins in classrooms where children can see themselves.
