The Bureau of Integrated Rural Development (BIRD) at KNUST, in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES), has inaugurated six Advisory Committee Members (ADCMs) to oversee a GPE KIX groundbreaking project aimed at enhancing culturally responsive teaching practices. The initiative focuses on improving the social and emotional development of students in diverse early childhood classrooms across Ghana.
The project seeks to develop culturally attuned curriculum materials and teaching resources tailored to the needs of minority ethnic groups. It will also introduce pedagogical strategies aligned with cultural norms, enhance teacher capacity for equitable early learning, and create scalable professional development modules for nationwide use.
Prof. George Kankam, Chair of the ADCMs, emphasized the importance of incorporating Ghana’s cultural heritage into education. He highlighted the initiative as a pivotal step toward leveraging indigenous pedagogies to improve education for marginalized communities. “This project is a timely intervention for our nation, starting at the foundational level. It’s a call to preserve our cultural identity,” he stated.
The project addresses key challenges in early education, such as the lack of culturally responsive training for teachers and the disengagement caused by teaching methods that overlook the cultural strengths of non-Akan ethnic groups. By developing and evaluating culturally responsive interventions, the initiative aims to improve teaching practices and support the holistic development of diverse learners.
During the induction ceremony, Prof. Dadson Awunyo-Vitor, Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, expressed his support for the advisory committee and commended the project’s early progress. Dr. Monica Addison, Director of BIRD, and Prof. Paul Sarfo-Mensah also reiterated their commitment to ensuring the project’s success.
The ADCMs later met with the Vice-Chancellor and senior BIRD officials to discuss the project’s implementation and future direction, reflecting a strong institutional commitment to its goals.