Project Snapshot
Thrive is a multi-country research programme led by Oxford Policy Management (OPM) aimed at enhancing understanding of early childhood development (ECD) service delivery models. The initiative focuses on improving childhood health, nutrition, education, and overall wellbeing by exploring how ECD systems can innovate and better serve children and communities.
In Ghana, Thrive is supporting the Ghana Education Service (GES) to assess its Lively Minds programme, which trains community women as “Volunteer Mothers” to teach children essential skills — literacy, numeracy and problem-solving — through engaging activities in local language in the formal school set-up.
Project Objectives
– Main Goal: Investigate the drivers of success for the Lively Minds programme at the community level to enhance ECD outcomes.
Specific Objectives:
- Provide insights into effective ECD service delivery models.
- Identify challenges faced during the implementation of the Lively Minds programme.
- Support GES in understanding what works in early childhood education.
PDA’s Task
Participatory Development Associates (PDA), in collaboration with OPM, is leading the study in Ghana, particularly in the Upper West and Northern regions. PDA is responsible for coordinating research efforts and ensuring effective data collection and analysis.
How We Are Going About It
- Reviewed Data Collection Tools: We carefully reviewed and refined the data collection tools to ensure they effectively capture the key aspects of the Lively Minds programme, aligning them with the project’s objectives and context.
- Mobilization of Relevant Stakeholders: We engaged and mobilized key stakeholders, including community leaders and education officials, to ensure their input and support for the study, fostering collaboration and enhancing the relevance of the findings.
- Recruitment and Training of Enumerators: We recruited local enumerators familiar with the community dynamics and provided them with comprehensive training to ensure they are equipped to collect data accurately and sensitively.
- Developed Training Manual: A detailed training manual was created to guide enumerators through the data collection process, covering best practices and specific methodologies relevant to the Lively Minds programme.
- Data Collection and Transcription: Enumerators conducted field data collection in September 2024 when schools reopened, engaging with community members, teachers and students to gather insights. This was followed by transcribing the collected data for analysis. In total, we spoke to about 192 sample respondents.
- Quality Assured Transcripts: We implemented a quality assurance process to review and verify the transcripts, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the data before analysis.
- Co-authoring of Final Report: PDA will collaborate with OPM to co-author the final report, synthesizing the findings and providing actionable recommendations for the Ghana Education Service to enhance the Lively Minds programme.
Impact
The Thrive programme targets key stakeholders involved in early childhood development, including community members and the Ghana Education Service. By investigating the Lively Minds programme, we aim to provide actionable insights that will enhance ECD service delivery, ultimately improving the educational outcomes and wellbeing of children in the Upper West and Northern regions of Ghana.