Ghana

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Bongo

Overview

Home to diverse wildlife including monkeys, bongos, and forest elephants, Ghana’s conservation and environmental education efforts are largely implemented by environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs), with support from the Ghana Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). While there is currently no national environmental education association, work is under way to establish one in collaboration with the Ghana EPA.

Policy & Practice

National Policy

There is no stand-alone national legislation on EE or education for sustainable development (ESD). However, the Environmental Protection Agency Act of 1994 (Act 490) established the Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana to, among other functions, “initiate and pursue formal and non-formal education programmes for the creation of public awareness of the environment and its importance to the economic and social life of the country." As a result, there is an Environmental Education Department in the EPA, however it is limited in terms of resources and capacity.

EE in K-12 Education

Ghana includes EE in the formal education system through the Integrated Science curriculum for Primary 1 to 6, Junior High School (1-3), Senior High School (1-3), which are prepared by the Ministry of Education though the Ghana Education Service. Read more about the curricula here.

Professional Development

Professional development for EE is not widespread in Ghana. Environmental educators can undertake general environmental and natural resource management courses through higher education institutions.

Leadership

National Associations

There is currently no national environmental education association, however the Centre for Environmental Citizenship Initiatives, Ghana (CECI) has initiated the processes of establishing an association in collaboration with the Ghana EPA.

EE in National Government

The Environmental Protection Agency, one of the arms of the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), has an Environmental Education Department, however its level of support is constrained by limited resources.

National EE Campaigns and Funding

The government, through the Ghana EPA, provides support for some EE activities, however there is no dedicated national funding mechanism. Generally, EE programs and projects activities are implemented by environmental non-governmental organizations, which largely rely on external donor or government funding.

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