The United States Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has allocated 2.8 million Ghana cedis (equivalent to USD 225,000) towards the creation and implementation of the School Licensing and Inspection Management System (SLIMS) database.
This funding encompasses the procurement of 100 tablets for the National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) to facilitate the digital collection of school inspection data.
The aim is to enhance the efficiency of licensing, monitoring, and evaluation processes for all educational institutions across Ghana by consolidating data onto a unified platform.
USAID-Ghana Mission Director, Kimberly Rosen, expressed optimism that this support would enhance the quality of education and foster greater accountability within schools.
“The United States is proud to support the use of technology in Ghana’s educational system – not just for instruction but for sound management and accountability,” she added.
Rosen highlighted the launch of three education initiatives over the preceding seven months, aimed at expanding educational access, bolstering sectoral accountability, and fostering public-private partnerships.
The first initiative, the Strengthening Accountability in Ghana’s Education System (SAGES) government-to-government (G2G) agreement, seeks to institutionalize mechanisms for education accountability across all tiers of governance.
She further elaborated on the third initiative, the Advancing Partnerships for Improved Learning (APIL) Activity, which focuses on supporting over 200 low-fee private schools to deliver quality education to children in underserved and marginalized communities in northern Ghana.
“The second, the SAGES Systems Strengthening Activity complemented the G2G agreement by providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Education and its agencies to support education management and citizen engagement.”
“The third initiative, the Advancing Partnerships for Improved Learning (APIL) Activity, supports more than 200 low-fee private schools to provide quality education for children in underserved and marginalised communities in northern Ghana,” she added.
The United States stands as Ghana’s principal bilateral development partner, with USAID’s development assistance exceeding $140 million in the past year, dedicated to various sectors including education, healthcare, economic growth, and agriculture.