Institute of Education

The Partners in Play (P3) Project, implemented in Ghana across 55 districts in Greater Accra, Volta, and Northern regions, aims to enhance the quality of primary education by training teachers to incorporate play-based activities into their teaching. The project consists of two components: a direct intervention where teachers receive training from Right to Play (RTP) and indirect interventions where district education officials train teachers.

After one year, the study evaluated the impact on teachers' classroom practices, attitudes toward learning, and perspectives on the effectiveness of RTP’s Continuum of Teacher Training (COTT). The study used classroom observations, surveys, and document analysis to gather data from 503 teachers across three intervention groups (Direct, Indirect, GALOP) and reviewed key educational documents, including early childhood education policies.

Key Findings:

1. Classroom Practices: Teachers in Direct intervention schools generally outperformed those in Indirect and GALOP groups, especially in lesson planning, delivery, and incorporating play-based activities. However, performance variations across regions showed no significant differences between Direct and Indirect schools in the Volta region.
2. Teachers’ Attitudes: Many teachers believed they were primarily responsible for selecting learning activities, which could limit student initiative. Teachers in Direct schools had more exposure to COTT activities, viewing them as highly effective in supporting play-based learning.
3. Play-Based Approaches: Most teachers recognized the value of play in supporting children’s academic and socio-emotional development, yet many found it challenging to align play-based activities with curriculum goals.
4. Enabling Factors and Barriers: Training and peer-learning sessions were seen as enablers, while managing children’s behavior, time constraints, class size, and lack of materials limited the effective use of play-based methods.
5. Document Analysis: Educational policy documents referenced play in various ways, often positioning it as a means to an end rather than an intrinsic right. These documents were critiqued for being inconsistent in their terminology and for not adequately reflecting holistic skill development or children’s agency.

Recommendations:

• RTP should review and refine training approaches, particularly in the Volta region, to improve teacher performance.
• The project should address the structural challenges teachers face, such as large class sizes and inadequate indoor spaces, while continuing to engage parents.
• Future educational policy development should ensure consistency in terminology regarding play and align training materials with current skill demands, including the use of multiple languages.

Research Team

Open University

Prof. Kwame Akyeampong

University of Cape Coast

Dr Christopher Yaw  Kwaah

Dr Esinam Ami Avornyo