Dr. Apaak highlights Ghana’s education reforms during Duke of Edinburgh’s visit

Ghana used the Duke of Edinburgh’s visit to the Presbyterian Women’s College of Education (PWCE) to reaffirm its plan to scale play-based learning nationwide.

Deputy Education Minister Dr. Clement Abas Apaak said the event offered a strong signal of international confidence in Ghana’s ongoing reforms, stressing that the Duke’s presence “underscores the deep and enduring relationship between the United Kingdom and Ghana,” as well as their shared interest in strengthening early childhood education.

Addressing administrators, teachers, student-teachers, traditional leaders, and development partners, Dr. Apaak described play as the foundation of effective learning.

He noted that research consistently shows children perform better academically and socially when early instruction is anchored in purposeful play. “Play is the genesis of all structured learning,” he said, adding that it gives young learners the skills to think, question, communicate, and solve problems.

He stressed that Ghana’s education policies already place strong emphasis on child-centred, play-based instruction, but the challenge is translating those policies into everyday teaching.

“We must equip every teacher with the essential skills to transition from traditional rote methods to dynamic, child-centred instruction,” he noted, describing early grade teachers as “the architects shaping the character and cognitive abilities of the next generation.”

Dr. Apaak pointed to the partnership between PWCE and Sabre Education as proof that Ghana can deliver high-quality teacher preparation at scale.

The collaboration, built with previous support from the UK government, is strengthening student-teacher training, upgrading skills of in-service teachers, and improving the learning experiences and emotional well-being of young pupils.

“This is a powerful demonstration of how international cooperation can deliver transformative, lasting educational impact,” he said.

He announced that the Ministry of Education intends to replicate the PWCE–Sabre model nationwide, describing the Aburi centre as “a lighthouse for educational innovation.”

According to him, the government’s goal is for every district to adopt the same high-standard approach to early childhood learning. “You are setting the gold standard,” he told the college community and partners, urging them to see their work as part of a national effort.

Dr. Apaak invited the Duke and other guests to tour the model kindergarten and observe the methods in use, saying the classrooms demonstrate how play-based instruction is reshaping teaching and improving learners’ confidence, attention, and curiosity.

He said those outcomes show why the reforms must reach every school in Ghana.