the System Change Architecture for Learning Excellence (SCALE). The aim is to improve learning outcomes and strengthen Ghana’s education system.photo courtesy
SCALE builds on the success of the Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP). That project trained over 72,000 teachers. SCALE will take it further.
It will expand differentiated learning to over 15,000 schools. Around 2 million children in 100 cocoa-growing districts will benefit.
The project is supported by a strong group of partners. These include the Jacobs Foundation, Foundation Botnar, UBS Optimus Foundation, and 10 major cocoa and chocolate companies.
Together, they have raised $40 million. This unlocked another $40 million from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Multiplier Fund.
With further support from the GPE Systems Transformation Grant and the Early Learning Partnership Multi-Donor Trust Fund, SCALE now has $118.8 million in total funding.
This money will support Ghana’s national education strategy.
A key part of SCALE is the creation of the Ghana Education Evidence and Data Lab (GEEDLab). It will be based in the Ministry of Education. GEEDLab will help the government use data to make better education decisions.
The initiative will also expand the Communities of Excellence program. This program supports local districts in setting goals and applying evidence-based practices.
SCALE takes inspiration from the Child Learning and Education Facility (CLEF) in Côte d’Ivoire. That program is led by the Jacobs Foundation.
It is a public-private partnership praised by the World Bank as a model for education funding. CLEF’s goal is to help 5 million children by 2027.
It focuses on teacher training and building schools in cocoa areas. It also helps tackle child labor. So far, it has raised CHF 69 million ($72 million) from government, industry, and donors.
The Jacobs Foundation is active in many African countries. In Uganda, it ran the Youth Development Project. That project trained over 1,700 young people to start small businesses.
In South Africa, the Foundation supported Education Africa. This group uses education to help break poverty cycles.
The Foundation also helped create the African Education Research Database. It contains more than 2,000 studies from 49 countries. The goal is to raise the profile of African education research.
Simon Sommer, Co-CEO of the Jacobs Foundation, said SCALE will bring evidence-based learning to 2 million children in cocoa areas of Ghana.
He said the initiative shows how new partnerships can lead to better education. The Foundation is committed to using data and innovation to improve learning for all children.
As education budgets tighten around the world, SCALE stands out. It shows how governments, donors, and companies can work together. By pooling funds and sharing expertise, they can create lasting change.
SCALE is more than just a funding model. It’s a strategy for system-wide reform. The focus is on results, evidence, and equity. It sets a new example for education in Africa—and beyond
