Complementary Education: Learner database key to attracting donor support – Dr. Apaak

Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has urged the Complementary Education Agency to develop a comprehensive learner database to improve planning and attract donor support.

Dr. Apaak made the call while addressing Regional Directors at the Ghana Literacy House in Accra during the presentation of LaserJet Pro MFP printers and computers to enhance the agency’s operations.

He said having reliable data on learners would enable the agency to make a stronger case for funding and ensure resources intended for complementary education are directed to the institution.

“A database where we would know who our learners are, where they are, the numbers, so that we can make a better argument,” he said.

According to him, the absence of accurate learner data has created opportunities for non-governmental organisations to secure funding that could otherwise support the agency’s programmes.

“Make no mistake, there are a lot of NGOs in the system, and they exploit some of these gaps and loopholes,” he stated.

He explained that NGOs often use available data to prepare funding proposals to development partners, resulting in donor assistance being channelled to them instead of the Complementary Education Agency.

“What they do is that some of the resources that will come to you by virtue of having the data and knowing the figures, they can use that data to write to donor partners and then the support will come to them rather than come to you,” Dr. Apaak said.

He therefore urged Regional Directors to prioritise the development of the database.

“So let’s be up and doing regarding the database so that we can also have the figures at our fingertips and then we can use them appropriately,” he added.

The Deputy Minister also assured the agency that its Legislative Instrument (L.I.) would soon be passed to fully operationalise the law establishing the Complementary Education Agency.

“The L.I. would operationalize in full the Act that establishes the Complementary Education Agency,” he said.

Dr. Apaak expressed confidence that with the new legal framework, effective collaboration with sister agencies and strong leadership, the agency could become a leading institution within the Ministry of Education.

“You have a lot of powers, and if you leverage those powers and you are effective, you work with other sister agencies, you would see this agency that many people think is in the backwaters could become the star agency under our ministry,” he said.

He further assured the Regional Directors of the continued support of both the Minister for Education and himself in advancing the agency’s mandate.