Mission Pediatrics & Craft Education Train Lower Primary Teachers Across Schools In Accra.

Across three bustling education clusters, something powerful unfolded over the last few days. Classrooms that usually echo with children’s voices were filled with teachers eager to deepen their understanding of child development, early identification, and inclusive teaching practices.

On 1st and 3rd December, Craft Education, in partnership with Mission Pediatrics, led a transformative training series that equipped lower primary teachers with the tools, confidence, and compassion to use the Mission Pediatrics ASD Red Flag Screening Tool (MPARST), a practical, early-identification tool designed to support timely detection of developmental and behavioural red flags in young learners.

The sessions brought together a diverse group of dedicated educators, including KG, Primary 1–3 teachers, special education coordinators, and school leaders who play an essential role in early childhood development. Teachers shared stories, asked difficult questions, reflected deeply, and bravely acknowledged moments when they might have missed subtle signs in their learners. Many nodded as they recognized behaviours they had seen but weren’t sure how to interpret. This training gave them clarity, language, and direction. Their enthusiasm in demonstrations and discussions reflects a shared commitment to improving inclusive education within their classrooms.

The training featured hands-on facilitation, where teachers learned how to introduce screening conversations with parents, interpret key domains of the MPARST, and identify behaviours that may signal early developmental challenges. Through role-plays and scenario-based discussions, teachers strengthened their ability to administer the tool accurately, confidently, and empathetically.

One teacher shared, “Sometimes we see things in our learners, but we don’t know how to describe what we are observing. Now I feel like I finally have a way to help.”

Another educator expressed gratitude for finally having “a simple tool that makes certain behaviours easier to understand.”

Mission Pediatrics provided expert guidance on understanding the behavioural indicators captured by the tool such as communication patterns, social engagement, and sensory or repetitive behaviours, ensuring teachers not only knew how to ask the questions, but also why each item matters.

Across all clusters, teachers expressed appreciation for how simple, clear, and practical the MPARST is for use in real classroom settings. Many noted that they had previously observed concerning behaviours in some learners but lacked the structured frameworks to interpret or discuss them effectively with parents. The training addressed these gaps while reinforcing the message that screening is not diagnosis, but an important step toward ensuring learners receive timely support.

The sessions also highlighted the importance of meaningful parent-teacher collaboration. Teachers shared the realities they face when engaging parents on sensitive developmental topics and worked with facilitators to practice strategies that foster openness, clarity, and trust during screening conversations.

For both Craft Education and Mission Pediatrics, this training series reflects a growing commitment to strengthening early identification within Ghana’s public education system. With many children at risk of developmental or behavioural challenges going unnoticed, teacher-led screening is an important gateway to earlier support, intervention, and improved learning outcomes.

The positive engagement across the selected schools signals strong readiness for broader adoption of the MPARST tool within public schools.

This collaboration between Craft Education and Mission Pediatrics marks another essential step toward building an inclusive school environment where every child’s developmental needs are recognised early, understood deeply, and supported with care.