BACKGROUND

The Regional Teacher Initiative for Africa (RTIA), a programme funded by the EU/EC via the Education section (G3) of DG INTPA aims to improve learning outcomes and the socio-emotional development of children in Africa, by having a more competent, motivated and inclusive teacher workforce in basic education.

The Ministry of Education in Ghana, through the NaCCA and the NTC, sent a request for technical assistance to the RTIA Facility in May 2025. Following the approval of the request, two experts from the RTIA Facility went to Accra in June 2025 to co-develop the Country Action Plan (CAP) with directors and technicians of the NaCCA, the NTC and representatives of other agencies and directions in the Ministry of Education. During this mission, the technical areas and the thematics presented in the request were confirmed. One component of the CAP will focus on green skills, looking at enhancing teachers’ knowledge, skills and capacities in environmental education and protection; the other component will aim at developing a policy for teachers’ mental health and wellbeing. Despite the fact that the two components are not related, the CAP development process provided an opportunity for the NaCCA and the NTC to work together; and it was decided to continue the collaboration for the CAP implementation.

The CAP is addressing both the area of teachers’ governance and teachers’ education and professional development. The two components target teachers from KG to senior high; as both the green skills framework and the policy for teachers’ mental health and wellbeing include generic components for all teachers.  

The policy for teachers’ mental health and well-being requires a large buy-in from the education stakeholders. The planned process includes multiple and continuous consultations with teachers’ Unions, representatives of different education personnel, as well as intermediate validations by the authorities.  Understanding teachers’ perspectives is essential for this policy to respond to their needs, as well as to contribute to the following strategic objectives and priorities: 

• Strategic Priority 2 of the ESP: “Improved quality of teaching and learning at all levels,” through Sector Outcome BE 2.3: “Improved learning environments, including health and sanitation, child protection, and guidance and counselling.”
• Inclusive Education Strategy 2.4, which promotes the orientation and sensitization of educational personnel and communities on inclusive practices.  
• In the Ghana Partnership Compact, Output 2.1: “Safe and violence-free schools,” and Output 3: “Better school and community governance,” particularly through the provision of psychosocial support and counselling for teachers and school leaders. 

MISSION

Before starting the development of the policy, it was decided to carry out a study, based on a small-scale opinion research, to collect qualitative data from teachers; and a benchmark of similar initiatives/ policies in Africa. This study will inform the technical discussions of the taskforce working on the policy development, as it collected teachers’ views on their different realities and their perceptions about their wellbeing, looking at contributing and alleviating factors to stress. A team of international and national experts will work together to bring the relevant expertise in the areas of education policies, MHPSS, capacity building of education actors and communication. A core team of 2 experts (one international, one national) will collaborate along the whole mission. If the main outcome of this consultancy is the policy itself, its development process should be designed carefully, to ensure relevance and ownership of national stakeholders. Implementation considerations should be embedded in this process from the very beginning, and a realistic implementation plan developed.

As such, the mission aims at providing technical assistance for both:

• the development of a teachers’ mental health and wellbeing policy
• and the teachers’ mental health and wellbeing policy’s implementation. 

DELIVERABLES

1. Inception report / methodology note (lead: international expert), including an outline of the work to be carried out (no longer than 2-3 pages). The international expert will agree with the national expert on respective tasks and responsibilities to be included in this report.
2. Concept note on policy development (lead: international expert). This concept note is designed for presenting for validation to the authorities the proposed process for policy development, including task force/ technical committee’s members, roles and responsibilities, ways of working, format and structure of the policy, validation process (including intermediate validation).
3. Teachers’ mental health and wellbeing policy. This is the main product resulting from the technical working sessions, based on the validated format. The contents will be designed with the technical groups involved in the design. The international expert will define with the national expert the components he/she will be leading.
4. Policy implementation plan. This plan will include milestones, timeline, roles and responsibilities, resources needed for the policy implementation. It will also include a monitoring system and the corresponding tools for monitoring the policy implementation.
5. Policy guidelines targeting the different stakeholders. This deliverable (based on the policy implementation plan) will include guidelines for stakeholders involved in the policy implementation (e.g. heads of schools, school supervisors, SMCs, PTAs, teachers…) comprising milestones, timeline, roles and responsibilities in policy implementation, resources needed, and consequences for non-compliance.
6. Capacity building modules for identified groups. Based on the implementation plan, these modules might target teachers, heads of schools, SMC, school supervisors… The main objective of these modules is to raise awareness on the policy, to foster ownership, and to clarify expectations, roles and responsibilities in implementation.
7. Concept note on annual review. The concept note will propose a process, methodology and timeline for the review of the policy implementation one year after its launch. This concept note will be validated by the national authorities.
8. Technical memo documenting the whole process. This memo is an internal document with learning purposes for the Facility and the MoE.
9. Mission final report (for the Facility).

The policy communication plan will be developed in country, with the relevant departments of the Ministry of Education. The policy annual review will also be carried out by the NTC and identified stakeholders.

DURATION OF THE MISSION

Preparation

• International expert: 2 days
• National expert: 1 day

On-site work

• International expert: 15 days
• National expert: 15 days (including pilot)

Distance work

• International expert: 30 days
• National expert: 2 days

Total

• International expert: 47 days
• National expert: 21 days

ESTIMATED CALENDAR

1. Inception report / methodology note: 25 November 2025
2. Concept note: 20 December 2025
3. Teachers’ mental health and wellbeing policy: 1 February 2026
4. Policy implementation plan: 15 February 2026
5. Policy guidelines targeting the different stakeholders: 15 March 2026
6. Capacity building modules for identified groups: 15 March 2026
7. Concept note on annual review: 15 July 2026
8. Technical memo: 15 July 2026
9. Mission final report: 30 July 2026

GENERAL APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY

The general approach and methodology described below are indicative and non-exclusive. The expert must develop the methodology he/she intends to use in his/her application. 

General approach

The international expert will work closely with the NTC and a national expert. Consultation and coordination between the two experts will be expected throughout the consultancy, to define the division of tasks, harmonize schedules and joint interaction with national counterparts in the NTC and other MoE departments, services or agencies. If collaboration and co-development are expected for producing the different deliverables, it is suggested that each expert takes the lead on specific components building on their expertise and previous experience. 

A participatory approach with the NTC partners is essential, to ensure that what is proposed is in line with their needs. They will be the ones guiding the process, identifying and involving relevant stakeholders, and taking responsibility for the validation processes. 

Methodology

To carry out this work, the expert recruited must:  

• Review the main policy documents of the Ghanaian education system (in particular, the sector strategy and teaching policy). 
• Take into account the findings of the study done in preparation to the policy development on teachers and stakeholders’ perceptions
• Participate in a scoping meeting with the NTC focal points, the national expert and the Facility. Following this meeting, the expert will propose a brief note describing the work to be carried out, including the methodology and an updated timetable taking into account logistical constraints, particularly those related to travel. This note will describe precisely the specific and respective responsibilities of the national expert and the international expert.
• Co-facilitate with the national experts working sessions with national stakehoders with the objective to define the policy development process
• Develop and present a concept note on the process, for validation of the education authorities
• Based on the validated process, co-facilitate with the national expert working sessions with the identified task force/ technical committee to develop the policy format and components
• After validation by the education authorities, co-facilitate with the national expert working sessions with the NTC and relevant stakeholders on the policy implementation plan. 

The whole process aims at being owned by the NTC and the national stakeholders. Consultations, technical exchanges and feedback take place before the finalization and submission of the deliverables. Even if a consensus among stakeholders might not be reached at each step, creating a safe space for discussion is key to ensure national ownership of both the process and the final product.

Throughout the consultancy, the two experts are expected to have technical discussions with the Facility. The deliverables will be validated by the NTC and the Facility.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The NTC

• Providing all the documentation required for the desk review and the preparation of the field work 
• Facilitating the organization of meetings with relevant stakeholders   
• Facilitating the validation process by the national authorities 
• Commenting on and approving deliverables.   

 The RTIA Facility

• Contracting and facilitating the integration of the expert by providing all available documents and resources   
• Supporting and monitoring the expert's work from start to finish   
• Acting as the expert's main resource person   
• Ensuring quality control of deliverables in collaboration with the NTC’s focal points   
• Acknowledging final validation of deliverables by all parties   
• Evaluating the expert's overall performance under this mandate.

The expert

• Reviewing and commenting on these Terms of Reference (ToR)   
• Ensuring that all deliverables comply with the guidelines set out at the scoping meeting, in line with the agreed timetable  
• Informing the Facility immediately of any difficulties encountered in implementing the mission  
• Ensuring that stakeholders are consulted throughout the assignment   
• Behaving with the highest level of personal integrity and committing to the required standards of conduct.