Ghana

The NICHE identification process in Ghana has resulted in the selection of two focus sectors: Health and Natural Resources Management (NRM), with Sanitation as a sub-sector. On this page you can read more about the objectives and focus of NICHE in Ghana. You can also download an edited web version of the Programme Outline.

Prioritisation criteria

The following criteria were taken into consideration in the prioritisation of possible intervention areas:

alignment with the priority themes of the Multi Annual Strategic Plan Ghana (MASP) 2008-2011;
alignment with the MASP of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) in Ghana;
focus on the North of Ghana (in the health sector);
contribution to higher education for employability and/or requirements of the labour market;
contribution to enhancement of the opportunities and rights of women;
alignment with programmes and initiatives of other donors.

Broader context

The selection of the two focus sectors is based on the Multi Annual Strategic Plan of EKN and on priorities of the Ghanaian Ministry of Education. The latter has emphasised the importance of relating professional higher education to the needs of the labour market and acknowledges the rationale of focusing on the sectors which have been agreed upon in the Dutch-Ghana bilateral cooperation programme.

Overall objectives

In Ghana, the NICHE programme aims to strengthen post-secondary education institutions through programmes on health, natural resource management and sanitation, in order to:

facilitate, at all levels, the necessary higher education reforms in terms of policies and practices. This includes curriculum design and development and project cycle management.
improve efficiency and speed up progress in achieving (accountable) higher education goals.
improve the capacity of lecturers and researchers in (principles of) research methodologies and procedures.
promote knowledge and experience sharing among the institutions.

Strong sectoral focus

The programme will have a strong sectoral focus as the basis for new programmes. This will, however, not exclude possible wider support to Ghana's post-secondary education system as well as support to polytechnics.

Health and Sanitation projects *

NICHE projects in the health and sanitation sector will aim to:

support education and training institutions in the North of Ghana and enable them to create a reliable and good quality base of human resources for good quality basic service delivery that can meet the changing needs and demands of the labour market;
improve the quality of hospital management and health system administration;
improve the training and management capacity of post-secondary education institutions to enable Ghana to improve access to and control over good quality sanitation.

*) The sanitation sub-sector is likely to be placed under the Natural Resource Management sector.

Natural Resource Management projects

NICHE projects in the Natural Resource Management sector will aim to:

support universities and colleges in providing training and education courses that enable staff of ministries, local authorities, professionals and politicians to plan and implement Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) solutions and set the climate change agenda;
improve governance and implementation of Natural Resource Management Policies;
improve management capacity of participating post-secondary education institutions to effectively and efficiently organise and develop training programmes.

Employability

NICHE projects will enable organisations to implement education and training programmes that will deliver graduates with employable skills and applicable knowledge. As a result, education and training is expected to contribute to better services and higher productivity in the selected sectors.