A three-year pilot innovative distance-learning programme has been identified as having a significant impact on increasing literacy and numeracy skills among marginalised girls in deprived communities of Ghana. Findings from the ‘Making Ghanaian Girls Great! (MGCubed)’, published on Friday showed an extensive impact the innovative distance-learning programme is having on the educational attainment and life chances of beneficiaries. Pupils benefiting from the programme are reading more words per minute and are one year ahead of their peers in maths tests. The project uses interactive distance learning technology to deliver Maths and English lessons daily to more than 10,000 girls and boys in 72 government schools in some of the most deprived communities in Ghana. It is being funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) and run by the Varkey Foundation. The beneficiary schools are in the Nkwanta South and Kadjebi districts of the Volta Region, and Ada East, Ada West, Ningo Prampram and Shai Osu-Doku districts of the Greater Accra. The schools are equipped with solar panels and a satellite connection in order to link with live broadcasts of lessons from highly qualified teachers, using internationally-approved teaching methods, from a studio in Accra.Findings of an independent evaluation of the project conducted by Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), was unveiled at the Forum for African Women Educationalists 2017 conference in Lusaka, Zambia. Leonora Dowley, Varkey Foundation’s Country Director for Ghana said: “This new research shows MGCubed’s interactive distance learning model has been incredibly effective at increasing literacy and numeracy skills for disadvantaged girls and boys. “In addition, it is improving girls’ life chances by combatting deep-seated cultural values about girls and their educational potential,” the Director added. Dowley said indicated the results are also testament to the efforts of the Ghana Education Service, including its Girls’ Education Unit, who have worked closely with the Varkey Foundation to design the programme and monitor activity in schools. The findings showed: In literacy tests, MGCubed students were able to read between 3.21-3.74 more words per minute than those in regular classes; and In numeracy tests MGCubed teaching has been found to increase average scores by the equivalent of one school year. In addition to the in-school classes, MGCubed delivers an after-school girls’ club called ‘Wonder Women’ to up to 50 girls per school, including out-of-school girls. The sessions cover topics such as early pregnancy, early marriage, reproductive health, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, career guidance and the environment as well as introducing girls to adult role models. The goal is to encourage girls to stay in or return to school, and raise their aspirations for their futures. Internal research conducted by the Varkey Foundation, also to be published for the first time today, shows that, in addition to the literacy and numeracy improvements: Teachers are more motivated to do their job. Teacher motivation is high, as evidenced by low absenteeism – the rate of teacher absenteeism in MGCubed classes was found to be just 0.5% over the whole project. The project is correlated with improved class attendance. Data collected by staff until June 2016 indicates that over the course of the project, average attendance in MGCubed classrooms increased by nearly 7%. MGCubed has raised levels of self-esteem, with an increase in girls who volunteer for leadership positions, and a 14% increase in girls who volunteer to answer questions during MGCubed lessons. By 3news.com|Ghana
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