The call was made during the STAR-Ghana Foundation, under the Inclusive Elections and Ac­countable Governance in Ghana Project (Phase III) forum on edu­cation held in Accra last Friday.

The event brought together key stakeholders in the education sector to discuss ways to monitor government commitments and ensure accountability in education service delivery.

It focused on strengthening the role of civil society in monitoring education policies, leveraging evi­dence-based advocacy to improve education services, and enhance partnerships for effective policy implementation.

A major concern among stake­holders is the persistent bottle­necks in basic education and the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme.

These include challenges with education financing, infrastructure deficits, and inadequate teacher deployment. Organisation like EduWatch has pointed out that these issues need urgent govern­ment intervention.

The Project Manager for Rights to Services at STAR-Ghana Foun­dation, Mr Raymond Danso, said the forum served as a preparatory step for the government’s planned National Summit on Transforming Ghana’s Education System.

He noted that CSOs and gov­ernment working together could lead to practical solutions that address the pressing challenges in the education sector.

Mr Danso emphasised that solu­tions must be evidence-based and reflect the real needs of citizens and stressed that adequate resourc­es must be committed to ensure the effective implementation of policies that could transform the education sector.

“Civil society partners in the education sector have identified four key priority areas: early child­hood education, basic education, secondary education, and tertiary education,” he explained.

Mr Danso further indicated that these priority areas emerged from various forums held across different regions of the country, adding that CSOs discussed the main challenges and expectations in each area, with a strong focus on how to hold the government accountable.

To effectively address these issues, he said, CSOs plan to track government commitments and promises, especially those made in political party manifestos, to ensure that they are fulfilled.

“A new tracking tool is be­ing developed to help monitor progress and ensure accountability, CSOs will use this tool to monitor government performance, advo­cate for policy changes, and engage constructively with policymakers,” he stated.

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Additionally, the tracking tool, he mentioned, was expected to play a crucial role in improving transparency and accountability in the education sector.

According to Mr Danso, this would allow CSOs to coordinate their efforts and work as a united front rather than as individual or­ganisations with separate agendas.

“Data collected through this tool will provide a solid foundation for advocacy efforts, ensuring that recommendations to the govern­ment are backed by evidence,” he elaborated.

He said the tracking tool would not just be used to hold the gov­ernment accountable but also to identify areas where improvements are needed.

“CSOs plan to collaborate with the government to use the tool as a mechanism for continuous monitoring and evaluation, by making the tool publicly accessi­ble, citizens will also have a role in monitoring the government’s progress and demanding account­ability.”

Moreover, Mr Danso called on stakeholders to be committed to transparency, collaboration, and shared responsibility in improving the education sector.

“The development and use of the tracking tool will be a key step in ensuring that govern­ment policies and commitments translate into real improvements in education for all Ghanaians,” he indicated.