Despite significant increases in education spending and major policy reforms, Ghana continues to experience persistent learning poverty at the basic education level. Over the past decade, the government has expanded investment in education through interventions such as the Free Senior High School policy, curriculum reforms, and teacher professionalisation initiatives. However, many pupils still fail to achieve foundational literacy and numeracy competencies, particularly in rural and disadvantaged regions. This study examines why increased education spending has not translated into proportional improvements in foundational learning outcomes in Ghana. Using regional-level secondary data from Ghana’s Education Management Information System (EMIS), national learning assessments, and government expenditure reports. The study examines the relationships among education spending, educational input, and learning poverty. The study also adopts a regional-level ex-post facto design and applies descriptive, spatial, econometric, and efficiency analyses. Spatial econometric models, including the Spatial Autoregressive Model (SAR) and Spatial Durbin Model (SDM), will be used to examine spatial inequalities and spillover effects across districts within the regions. In addition, Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) will assess the efficiency of resource utilisation in improving learning outcomes. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) will further examine whether educational input equity mediates the relationship between education spending and learning poverty. The study is expected to provide evidence-based insights into how equitable and efficient resource allocation can reduce learning poverty and strengthen educational outcomes in Ghana.
Project leader: Francis Gyedu Obeng
Project researchers:
Scientific mentors: ALIDOU Sahawal
No journal publications.
No working papers.
No policy briefs.
No final reports.
No proposals.
Copyright © 2008-2026 PEP. All rights reserved.
If you have any question or if you need assistance, please contact: info@pep-net.org.