Pre-school education has been made compulsory for 2 years before primary school. the education policy of Ghana provides children two years of free and compulsory pre-primary education to ensure that children are enrolled in school for early learning. Pre-primary education here consists of creches (for 3 and 4-year-olds) and nursery schools (for 4 and 5-year-olds). From creche, students will progress to nursery school before they can progress into primary school. pre-school education aims to promote the mental and physical health of children.
Pre-primary education
- Ages : 3-5 years
- Duration : 2 years
- Primary Languages : English
- Terms : 2-3 semesters
- Admission Term : Beginning of the term
- School types : crèche, nursery
Pre-primary education in ghana focuses on the holistic development of the child and the curriculum focuses on a variety of areas namely:
- language development
- numbers,
- writing,
- drawing,
- music
- dance.
Examples of International Pre-Schools in GHANA
Safari International Preschool
This is an international pre-school accepting child from various backgrounds from 6 months to 6 years. The school aims to create a perfect foundation for children and ensure that every child develops into a confident learner. The school offers a perfect environment for early learning with a purposely designed learning environment, activity areas, sensory zones, outdoor playgrounds, and the country’s first and only Splash Pad. The school has an open-door policy and allows parents to visit and discuss any concerns.
- Address : 11 Volta Street Airport Residential, Accra and F/28, 7 Ndabaningi Sithole Rd, Cantonment, Accra, Ghana
- Ages : 6 months to 6 years
- Language of instruction : English
- Type : nursery
Why chose Safari?
They are plenty of reasons why parents should enroll their children at Safari International School. These include but are not limited to the following:
- All staff are trained in Health and Safety procedures, Child Protection and First Aid
- A Qualified Nurse is always on-site
- It offers flexible programs and times
- Offers Daily updates for parents
- Collaborates with reputed international schools
- experienced and skilled staff members
Facilities- the school offers a wide range of facilities, both indoor and outdoor facilities. Outdoor facilities include a Simulation and a Pretend Play Area, a STEM Wall and Lego Zone, Dance and Movement Room, a Library Learning Zone, and a Kiddie Gym with our indoor climbing wall and a treehouse. Indoor facilities include a Splash and Play area, Water Spray Area, a 500m2 Dry playground for children between the ages of 2 to 6, an outdoor reading area and a playground, Dedicated Sand play area, a Messy Play zone, and Sensory Play zone, Discovery Garden and Splash Cafe, a Dedicated physical education area for multiple sports including Football, Basketball, Gymnastics and Yoga, and a Cycling Area. The school offers a balanced approach that encourages self-expression and a passion for learning.
Curriculum- the school follows the Early Years Foundation Stage framework and is similar to the primary curriculum but is suitable and flexible for young children. It follows the philosophy that each child is unique and different from the other therefore individualized teaching is conducted. It offers different areas of learning including Personal, Social, and Emotional Development, Physical Development, Communication, and Language (Primary Areas) followed by Numeracy, Literacy, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts and Designs (Secondary Areas).
Extracurricular activities- students are kept active throughout their schooling days through a wide of extracurricular activities that include Cookery, Gardening, Lego and STEM Education, Sensory and Messy Play, Zumba and Yoga for Kids, French, Pretend Play, Outdoor Sports, Pottery, Arts and Crafts Activities, Origami Workshops, Science Experiments, Story Telling and many more. Students do at least 2 of these every day.
Tuition and Fees
- Annual Tuition Fees here includes:
- Term 1- September to December
- Term 2- January to March
- Term 3- April to June
- All Holiday Camps- Easter, Summer, and Christmas
Dolly Memorial School
Offers a balanced environment for the child to use as a stepping stone to begin a successful academic journey through life. The school aims to guide children through a purposeful activity that is aimed at developing basic skills which will ultimately lead to a smooth transition to mainstream education. Dolly Memorial is a close-knit educational community that promotes the academic and social development of all students in a safe, secure, and friendly environment. It is divided into 3 sections namely, the baby zone for children aged 3 months to 1 year, the Creche for children aged 1 to 3 years, and the Nursery and Kindergarten for children aged 3 to 5.
Kindergarten Section
- Established : 1970
- address : F35/7, 1st Labone Street, Labone-Accra
- ages : 3-5
- Duration of study : 2 years
- Primary Languages : English
- Terms : 2 terms
Classes in the kindergarten section are divided into pre-kindergarten, for children aged 4 to 5, and the kindergarten class for 5 to 6 years olds. the kindergarten program is designed to get children ready for primary school by teaching letters and words, math concepts, and valuable social skills. This can be done through independent play in an organized atmosphere, group activities, and Small-group instruction. Children go through morning drills where they can go over the calendar, phonics, colors, shapes, numbers, letters, songs, and rhymes. Children take part in enrichment programs that address the changing and more varied needs of growing children.
The school is the ideal school for children as they learn a variety of life skills including:
- Decision Making
- Organization
- Time Management
- Self Control
- Relating with others
- Sharing
- Group work
Facilities- the school offers a variety of facilities to enhance the students’ learning experience and these include a Well stocked school ward with comfortable beds and first aid facility, A spacious out-door playground for children’s organized play, Smart Boards for all KG2 classes, Computers, a Montessori Laboratory, a Language Activity Laboratory, Teachers resource library, A Library for each class, A Dining hall, A Kitchen, A neat washroom, CCTV cameras to monitor all activities in the school and its surroundings, a television and a DVD player in All departments.
Extracurricular activities- The school offers a variety of extracurricular activities in the afternoons. There are clubs where students can show and use their talents. These include:
- The cultural and Salsa clubs
- Art and creativity
- Music and movement
- French
- The Reading club
Merton Montessori School
Environment. It is divided into 3 sections namely, the baby zone for children aged 3 months to 1 year, the Crèche for children aged 1 to 3 years, and the Nursery and Kindergarten for children aged 3 to 5.
Kindergarten Section
- Address : Old Castle Road, Next to the International Conference Center, Accra – Ghana
- Ages : 3-5
- Duration of study : 2 years
- Primary Languages : English
- Terms : 2 terms
Curriculum- the school uses theMontessori method of education to harness the potential of children. This method gives children the freedom to make choices and to pursue their choices without interruption, teaches them to respect the choices made by others, and to take pleasure in their accomplishments. Learning here focuses on 3 main pillars, namely Sensorial, Language or Numerical, and Practical Life Skills. Students here are allowed to progress at their speed. The curriculum varies for the different classes as follows:
Creche- children at the creche stage learn to identify primary colors and basic shapes, numbers from 1 to 5, letters (a to c), and corresponding objects or pictures. They begin to develop practical life skills including Wet pouring, Washing, and drying of hands, Using spoons to transfer items to improve hand-eye coordination, Learning basic greetings, and watch educational videos on numbers, names, letters, rhymes, action songs, shapes, and colors.
Nursery 1 (2-3 Years)- Nursery 1 student learn to identify primary and secondary colors and basic and secondary shapes, Numbers from 1- 10, Letters (A to P and corresponding objects or pictures), animals, flowers, and parts of the body, and do Practical activities including the wet-and-dry pouring of materials to improve hand-eye coordination and sensory abilities, washing and drying of hands., zipping and unzipping, and buttoning and unbuttoning.
Nursery 2 (3-4 Years)- at this stage children learn to identify numbers (1 to 50), Letters (a to z) and corresponding objects or pictures, wild animals, domestic animals, flowers, parts of the human body and understand their functions, Land and water forms, Names of fruits and vegetables and their importance, Plant and its parts, and do Practical activities including Wet and dry pouring, Washing and drying of hands, Using spoons to transfer items to improve hand-eye coordination Zipping and, unzipping, Buttoning and unbuttoning, Tying bows and lacing strings, Pegging items, and Learning how to greet.
Kindergarten 1 (4-5 years)- students here go beyond the identification of numbers, letters, shapes, and objects to developing their language, numerical and sensorial skills. They also learn how toSpell the names of colors, shapes, and numbers, Count to a 100, Understand numerical concepts of addition, subtraction, and comparison, write out alphabetical letters, Read 2 to four-letter words, initial and final blends, double consonant blends, vowel sounds, rhyming words, and high-frequency words, Punctuate sentences, Identify primary and secondary colors.
They are also taught Practical life skills including Transferring water., Graded pouring, Washing, and drying hands Caring for hair and nails, Washing dishes, sweeping, mopping and dusting, Using spoons, Lacing their shoes, Wearing socks and shoes, Learning phone and table manners, and how to greet a range of individuals. In addition to what they learn in Nursery 1 and 2, KG 1 students also learn to Describe the weather and understand different types of weather, Understand different land and water forms, Identify and describe the various parts of plants and their functions, Identify continents, Express time by learning the days and months of the calendar and the History of Ghana.
Kindergarten 2 (5-6 years)- at this stage students are prepared for primary school education. They learn to identify primary and secondary colors and shapes, spell color names, shapes, and numbers, understand the properties of shapes, identify numbers from 1to 200, understand and apply a wide range of numerical concepts, write out alphabetical letters, Read 2 to 4 letter words, initial and final blends, double consonant blends, vowel sounds, rhyming words, and high-frequency words, Punctuate sentences and use punctuation marks, Use articles, Identify primary and secondary colors.
They also learn the Transferring of water, Graded pouring, Washing and drying of hands, Caring of hair and nails, Washing dishes, sweeping, mopping and dusting, Using spoons, Lacing shoes, Wearing of socks and shoes, phone and table manners, how to greet a range of individuals. In addition to what they learn in KG 1, KG 2 students also learn how to Classify different types of animals and plants, Understand basic facts of animals and plants, Take care of different parts of the body, and Understand facts about various land and water forms.
The curriculum also incorporates information technology (I.T), excursions, outdoor play, music, movement, games, and study of the immediate environment, and the world.
Extracurricular activities- Merton also provides a wide range of co-curricular activities to create a holistic education for students. These include STEM- ICT education to equip children for the digital age, Language, Dance, and Movement (this teaches children to express themselves and exercise their bodies through dance and physical activity), Special Projects, and Excursions to the Zoo and other places around Accra to learn through exploration.
