Rugby League Federation Ghana (RLFG has achieved a major historic milestone after three Ghanaian match officials were formally accredited as IRL Level 1 Match Official Educators, making Ghana the first nation in Africa to produce its own IRL-accredited match official educators.
This achievement comes under the International Rugby League’s (IRL) Technical Education Programme, following the launch this year of the largest investment into grassroots game development in IRL history. The programme is designed to ensure that every IRL member nation can independently train, develop, and accredit its own coaches and match officials through locally based educators.
The IRL technical education system is built around the CATO framework — Consolidate, Apply, Team/Train, Organise — which places strong emphasis on continuous professional development between courses. This approach ensures that learning evolves into deeper understanding of the game, improved officiating standards, and sustainable, locally driven growth. The programme is supported by state-of-the-art e-learning platforms and coaching resources.
Following an intensive year of training, assessment, and evaluation, Marshall Nortey, Chris Ebo Dagama, and Jacqueline Ansah of Ghana have been officially confirmed by the IRL Membership & Competitions Department as IRL Level 1 Match Official Educators.
In another groundbreaking first, Jacqueline Ansah becomes the first IRL-trained female Match Official Educator in Africa, and her qualification places Ghana among only four countries globally with an active female match official educator, alongside Australia, England, and New Zealand.
IRL Head of Membership & Competitions David Butler said: “It’s fantastic news that IRL technical education has qualified educators in Africa and broken new ground with the first IRL-trained female educator. Building a network of educators within each nation gives sustainability and allows for stronger long-term development of the game.”
As accredited educators, the Ghanaian trio are now fully qualified to deliver and accredit IRL Level 1 Match Officials within Ghana, significantly strengthening the country’s officiating pathways and reducing reliance on external technical support. Their accreditation also positions Ghana as a regional hub for officiating education in Africa.
Reflecting on the milestone, Jacqueline Ansah said: “This journey has been one of hard work, resilience, learning, and growth. This achievement represents a powerful message of opportunity and empowerment for women and girls in Ghana and across Africa. With dedication and belief, barriers can be broken while growing rugby league.”
The educators’ qualification pathway included participation in IRL Level 2 courses, extensive professional development through the CATO and CATO+ systems, and supervised delivery of classroom and field sessions under IRL-appointed tutors, culminating in final evaluation in Accra.
This milestone further reinforces Ghana’s leadership in rugby league development in Africa, underpinned by strong governance, technical capacity, and a clear commitment to sustainable growth.