The Legon Centre for Education Research and Policy (LECERP) has held a high-level collaborative meeting with the Ghana Commission for UNESCO to explore strategic partnership opportunities aimed at strengthening education research, policy development and capacity building in Ghana.
The meeting, held on 6th February, 2026, brought together officials from both institutions to identify areas of mutual interest and potential joint initiatives aligned with national education priorities and global education targets, particularly Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Prof. Osman Tahidu Damba (centre, in white), flanked by officials of the Ghana National Commission for UNESCO during the collaborative meeting.
Addressing participants, the Secretary-General of the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, Prof. Osman Tahidu Damba, commended LECERP for its proactive engagement with the Commission. He noted that the Commission facilitates collaboration among diverse stakeholders and implements programmes across UNESCO’s core sectors — Education, Natural Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture, and Communication and Information.
Prof. Damba explained that UNESCO operates within clearly defined targets and indicators that guide the Commission’s work. He observed that LECERP’s activities align strongly with UNESCO’s priority areas and described the engagement as a valuable opportunity to deepen collaboration in support of improved national education outcomes. He further highlighted the importance of innovation in educational delivery and research to accelerate Ghana’s progress towards achieving SDG 4.
Dr. Joyce Anku speaking at the meeting on behalf of the Director of LECERP
Speaking on behalf of the Director of LECERP, Dr. Joyce Anku, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Teacher Education, School of Education and Leadership and a Research Associate at the Centre, explained that the purpose of the meeting was to explore avenues for mutually beneficial collaboration to advance educational development in Ghana and beyond. She reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to research excellence, training and capacity building, and advocacy within the education sector.
Dr. Anku noted that the engagement aligns with strategic priority 4 of the University of Ghana’s Strategic Plan (2024-2029), which focuses on Engagement and Partnership. She further expressed LECERP’s interest in strengthening collaboration with UNESCO and its affiliated institutions in areas such as literacy development, research partnerships and knowledge exchange. She also highlighted the Centre’s plans to organise the African Literacy Forum and to contribute to activities marking International Literacy Day.
Dr. Martin Wiredu Agyekum delivering a presentation during the meeting
Providing an overview of the Centre’s work, Dr. Martin Wiredu Agyekum, Research Fellow at LECERP, outlined key initiatives undertaken under its core pillars of research, training and capacity building, and advocacy. He detailed major projects implemented by the Centre and demonstrated their contribution to educational development, particularly in shaping policy and practice. He also underscored LECERP’s role in community engagement, stakeholder collaboration and policy implementation support.
Mr. Riche-Mike Wellington
In his remarks, Mr. Riche-Mike Wellington, Deputy Secretary-General (Operations) at the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, identified several strategic collaboration opportunities available to both institutions. He explained that the Commission plays a central role in facilitating partnerships, research collaboration, training, advocacy and capacity-building initiatives.
The engagement provided an important platform for both institutions to reaffirm their commitment to identifying joint priority activities, supporting national education reporting processes, and exploring the organisation of a national conference to assess Ghana’s progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals ahead of 2030.
The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to strengthen institutional collaboration in support of education research, policy development and capacity building initiatives in Ghana and across Africa.
Other participants from LECERP included Dr. Emmanuel Adjei-Boateng, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Educational Studies and Leadership; Ms. Audrey Djarbeng, Administrative Secretary; and Mr. Faith Ocran, National Service Person.
Also other representatives from the Ghana Commission for UNESCO included Dr. Naazia Ibrahim, Deputy Secretary-General (Programmes); Mr. Moses J. Y. Gemeh, Principal Programme Officer (Education); and Mr. Kofi Takyi Kwakye, Education Programme Officer.