Last month, we were proud to take part in the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) Triennale, held in Accra, Ghana. The Triennale brought together education leaders, policymakers, funders, researchers and practitioners from across Africa and beyond to reflect on shared priorities and the future of education systems on the continent.
For Sabre, ADEA was a valuable opportunity to contribute Ghana’s experience of strengthening early childhood education through play-based learning, and to engage in meaningful dialogue with peers working towards similar goals.
Contributing to key policy and practice conversations
We were proud to contribute to several sessions focused on foundational learning and teacher development. In Side Event 5: Improving Foundational Learning – Progress and Challenges, our Senior ECE Technical Manager, Robert Quansah, presented Ghana’s journey towards scaling play-based kindergarten teacher training. He was joined by partners Right To Play Ghana and Lively Minds, with a keynote address from Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Education, Hon. Dr. Clement Abas Apaak.
The following day, we took part in the Innovative and Sustainable Approaches in Teacher Preparation and Continuous Professional Development session. During a lively World Café discussion, we explored Ghana’s teacher training model in greater depth with delegates, unpacking what it takes to support quality implementation at scale within public education systems.
Bringing play-based learning to life
Throughout the week, our exhibition stand offered a hands-on experience of play-based learning, featuring a model classroom setup. This practical approach sparked rich conversations with delegates and helped bring the principles of child-centred learning to life.
We were pleased to welcome several distinguished visitors to the stand, including Hon. Dino Ballotti, Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture in Namibia; Prof. Florien Nsanganwimana from the University of Rwanda, College of Education; and Langson Chibuye, Assistant Director at Zambia’s Ministry of Education. These exchanges offered valuable perspectives on shared challenges and opportunities across different national contexts.
Spotlighting leadership and systems strengthening
Our Programmes Manager, Lucy Ama Berma, also joined the African Centre for School Leadership stand alongside VVOB, AfriKids and Right To Play Ghana. Together, we highlighted our collective work on school leadership, community engagement and system strengthening, reinforcing the importance of leadership at every level of the education system.
Recognising expertise on international platforms
A special highlight of the week was seeing Sabre’s technical expertise recognised beyond the Triennale sessions. Robert Quansah was interviewed by Expertise France, while our ECE Technical Manager (Partnerships), Francis Lord Acquah, spoke with CGTN about Sabre’s approach to play-based learning and teacher development.
Looking ahead
Our participation at ADEA reinforced the value of shared learning, collaboration and evidence-informed dialogue in advancing early childhood education across Africa. As Ghana moves forward with the national scale-up of play-based kindergarten teacher training, we remain committed to sharing lessons openly and learning from others working to strengthen education systems.
ADEA was a powerful reminder that progress in early childhood education is a collective effort. We were proud to stand alongside partners and peers championing quality early learning for every child.
