EduSpots has launched an Education Academy in Akumadan, bringing together community educators and teachers from 50 communities. These communities span both Ghana and Kenya. The academy focuses on strengthening inclusive, collaborative, and imaginative approaches to teaching and learning.
This initiative prepares for the relaunch of EduSpots’ learner club programme in September. The programme will engage more than 3,000 learners each year. It offers practical, play-based learning experiences. These experiences are designed to build confidence, strengthen literacy and digital skills, and develop social leadership.
The academy fits into Ghana’s broader educational landscape by addressing foundational learning and digital literacy gaps. The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship recently selected EduSpots as one of 12 innovative EdTech organisations in Ghana. This fellowship focuses on developing the EduSpots App. The app serves as a tool for advancing community-led learning, aligning with national efforts to improve education outcomes.
Sarah Abotsi-Masters, EduSpots’ Head of Education, highlighted the academy's importance. She stated, “This academy is a wonderful opportunity to bring together our Catalysts from Spots across Ghana to explore our educational principles.” She added that participants shared knowledge and discussed applying principles like creativity and inclusion to their work.
The academy’s work has significant implications for educational development in rural and underserved communities. Enhanced teaching methods can lead to improved learning outcomes for thousands of children. Decision-makers will observe how these community-led models can be scaled or integrated into national education strategies. The focus on digital skills also prepares learners for a technology-driven future.
Participants in the training are exploring various pedagogical principles. These include inclusion, play, safeguarding, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. Environmental care, community connectedness, and digital learning are also key areas. The academy aims for transformative education, ensuring learners develop holistically.
Local voluntary changemakers, known as Catalysts, lead community learning hubs called Spots. These Catalysts support learners of all ages. They help develop skills through extracurricular learning opportunities. Activities cover digital learning, literacy, STEM, environmental action, and gender equity.
Since 2015, EduSpots has brought together over 800 local changemakers. These changemakers have involved over 50,000 learners. They participate in practical, play-based education clubs. This demonstrates a proven track record of community engagement and impact.
As part of the academy, participants are informing the design of new teaching aids. These include animations, storybooks, and observation trackers. These tools will help Catalysts and wider teachers advance their inclusive and interactive pedagogy. They will be available on the EduSpots App in the coming months.
The Education Academy follows last week’s Digital Champions Academies. These were hosted at Elmina Spot. Sixty digital champions from across the EduSpots network received training. Training covered digital skills, EdTech development, and online safeguarding. This marks the start of a 9-month Digital Champions Programme.
Emma Heglo, an EduKidz Catalyst from Wodome Spot, shared her insights. She said, "I've learnt that inclusion is not just a strategy to help people fit into the systems and structure which exist in our society, but it is about transforming the people to have a common goal that should also be inclusive.” This perspective underscores the academy’s deep commitment to genuine inclusion.
The ongoing development of the EduSpots App, supported by the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, is crucial. It will provide a platform for sharing resources and fostering continuous learning. This digital infrastructure will extend the reach and impact of the academy's training. It supports educators beyond the physical training sessions.
The programme's success could offer a blueprint for other non-governmental organisations and government initiatives. It shows how to effectively empower local educators. The emphasis on practical, play-based learning aligns with modern educational theories. These theories advocate for active, engaging learning environments. This approach is vital for improving educational outcomes across Ghana.