Right to Play Ghana, a non-governmental organisation with a focus on play-based learning, has visited Ho West District in the Volta Region to monitor schools that use play-based methods for teaching school children.

At the Dzolokpuita EP Basic School, the team led by Kwabena Gao monitored teachers using the methods both in class and on the field.

Due to the excitement that comes with the play-based methodology in both class and field practicals, the kindergarten students learned quickly.

Schoolchildren were seen actively involved in the activities which helped them learn faster. The pupils went through learning about plants and their associated activities and also electrical engineering.

Speaking with JoyNews, a teacher Ernest Asigbe noted said the pupils do better in the play-based learning methodology which also makes them faster and very active in class.

The Regional Training officer of Ghana Education Service (GES), Francis Mensah Vidzro commended the Right to Play Ghana for their efforts in improving teaching and learning in the schools through play-based methodologies.

Mr. Vidzro noted that the beneficiary schools are doing better than other schools in the region.

He noted that since the inception of the project, teachers now understand the new curriculum and now use the play-based methodology in teaching.

He stated that the project is assisting in the improvement of education in the regions that have benefited thus far and that it is greatly assisting pupils in improving their learning skills and becoming more active in class.

Mr Kwabena Gao, an education specialist with Right to Play Ghana, stated that the approach is very beneficial because it provides a playful opportunity for children to participate in writing and connect what they are learning to their daily lives.

"You can see the activities that they did in the classroom and outside the classroom which is all geared towards building their confidence, leadership skills within their assertiveness so that they are able to really concentrate in the classroom, be able to succeed in the academic world and at the same time when they complete and they are in their home or when you wake they are able to use these core skills to support their work effectively," Mr Gao said.

Mr Gao stated that the district's tutors have been trained, and they, along with Terraform leads, will train the teachers.

“So we are here gathering steam from the Ministry, the beginner education office, and writing to provide coaching support to them so that they are able to adjust in your classroom on a daily basis, thereby making children want to come to school to stay in class and willing to complete their education with good grades,” he added.

"So this is just a follow-up to continue to support what is happening. And it's also a way to build the capacity of the regional districts and the school-level team so that they are able to put their monetary plans together and they're able to hold their Professional Learning Communities sessions together to see what is lacking in their practices so that they can put those strategies together to be able to support our young ones to succeed," Mr Gao said.

Some pupils who spoke with JoyNews noted that the initiative has helped them greatly in learning as they are able to understand the subjects easily. 

Right to Play Ghana is a non-profit organization in the country with a focus on building the capacity of teachers and assisting GES with the necessary support to improve teaching and learning in their areas of operation.