Scaling within the system: what can be learnt from Ghana’s early years transformation

Scaling is one of the biggest hurdles for any NGO or social innovator.

While many organisations successfully pilot innovative solutions, it is very challenging to embed them into national systems – where real, lasting change happens.

Ghana’s early-childhood education reforms show what is possible. Since 2008, the country has not only offered two years of free, compulsory kindergarten for every four- and five-year-old, in recent years it has also worked to ensure these children don’t just attend school but learn through play-based, child-centred teaching.

Driving this is a bold collaboration between the Government of Ghana and a number of technical assistance NGOs: Sabre Education, Right to Play and Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA). Their work to design, test and now scale a cost-effective play-based teacher-training programme provides four scaling principles which may be useful for those seeking to move from pilot to national adoption.

Principle 1: Build evidence of what works

Scaling a programme requires more than just good design. It needs real-world evidence, built over time, which shows the approach is effective across different settings.
 
In 2013, Sabre, together with the Ghana Education Service (GES) and OLA College of Education, launched a small teacher training pilot. The model offered both pre-service and in-service training for kindergarten teachers, and linked theoretical study with classroom practice. It was informed by global research and continuously refined using feedback from teachers, headteachers and education officers.

Sabre tested the teacher training in different contexts. For example, regional pilots, co-led with AfriKids and local education offices, helped to establish how the approach worked in northern Ghana, which is more disadvantaged than the south, and where adaptations were needed.

Independent evaluations strengthened the case for scale. In 2019, a study by IPA showed that children who experienced high-quality kindergarten teaching saw lasting benefits in literacy, executive function and behaviour well into primary school. In 2023, an evaluation by JMK Consulting found that over 75% of children in Sabre-supported classrooms met national benchmarks for literacy and numeracy, compared to just 27% and 41% in non-play-based schools.

By grounding the model in evidence and showing consistent results, the programme earned credibility with both the government and donors – and laid a solid foundation for scale.

Principle 2: Work within the system, not around it

Delivering through parallel systems might bring short-term results, but it rarely leads to lasting change. From the beginning, Sabre aligned its efforts with Ghana’s national Kindergarten Operational Plan and developed programmes to actively support the government to implement it. In 2012, Sabre seconded a full-time team member into the GES’ Early Childhood Education Unit.

This day-to-day proximity built trust and gave the staff member an inside view of government priorities while providing extra support to the unit.

Sabre co-designed all training tools, manuals and monitoring guides with district officers, national policymakers and teacher training colleges. These resources aligned with the government’s curriculum and policies, reinforcing national leadership and ownership.

Sabre’s long-standing relationship with district education offices helped with government ownership. Sabre also aligned with other NGOs and multilateral agencies, including AfriKids, UNICEF, Chance for Childhood, Right to Play, and Lively Minds to coordinate efforts across the early childhood sector.

Equally important was securing and sustaining political buy‑in. By building constructive relationships across the civil service, and with researchers, academics and senior decision‑makers, Sabre helped keep early‑years reform high on the national agenda and unlocked the resources needed for scale.

Ultimately, systemic change is built on relationships. Trust grows from regular communication, shared goals and the ability to adapt together. When individuals in government change, it is important to start developing these new relationships, and understand there is no guarantee that previous plans will continue uninterrupted.

Principle 3: Flexible funding is critical

There is a need for long-term, adaptable funding which supports system change, not just programme delivery. Over time, Sabre’s collaboration with the government and evidence of impact encouraged funders to shift from restricted project grants to core, unrestricted funding which supported the scaling journey.

This flexibility was critical. It allowed Sabre to align with government timelines, invest in advocacy and technical expertise and respond to political shifts without disrupting delivery. Sabre maintained regular, open communication with funders, sharing not only successes but challenges and lessons learned. This built a shared vision for scale and ensured funders were part of the journey.

To attract this kind of support, NGOs must demonstrate that their programmes are not only effective but adaptable and ready for government ownership. A clear strategy, backed by evidence and strong relationships, is essential.

Principle 4: Co-develop tools for transformation

To sustain reform, your tools, approaches and systems must be embedded in government structures and local leaders must be able to take them forward.

Sabre contributed to Ghana’s early childhood reforms by working across multiple levels. It supported government to revise the national kindergarten curriculum and developed a strategic partnership with Right To Play and IPA to co-develop essential content, like a training manual and monitoring tools, to support the government’s journey to national scaling. Importantly, it made these resources freely available for government use.

Rather than owning delivery, it focused on embedding the approach within public systems. Today, most of these roles and responsibilities sit with GES staff, not Sabre employees. The NGOs remain available for technical support, but the government leads the direction and delivery of reform.

NGOs can maximise their impact by contributing where needed, openly sharing data and tools, stepping back when the system is ready and playing a supporting role. Once given over to the government, NGOs can no longer expect to have full control over the quality of implementation or even the role they will play during the scale
up.

Staying the course to scale up

After over a decade of collaboration with the government, over 6,000 teachers have been trained using the joint approach, impacting more than 350,000 children. Now in partnership with GES, Right to Play, IPA and other key stakeholders, Sabre is supporting the government to embark to train all 32,000 public kindergarten teachers in play-based learning, which will impact 1.2 million young children every year. This includes working alongside the NGO Lively Minds to help families play a bigger role in their children’s early learning. The journey will undoubtedly have twists and turns in the years ahead, but it is on its way.
 
Moving from a pilot to a nationwide programme is never straightforward and it is not quick. But it is possible. Ghana’s early childhood transformation journey shows that, when NGOs prioritise evidence, root themselves within systems and stay the course, scalable solutions can emerge.