The Missing Link: From Learning to Schooling in Africa’s Accelerated Education Programs

Millions of children in sub-Saharan Africa risk being locked out of education twice: first by conflict and crisis, and later by the lack of pathways from non-formal programs back into formal schooling.

That is the warning from a new Education .org report launched this week at an event co-hosted by UNICEF. While Accelerated Education Programs (AEPs) are among the fastest ways to help out-of-school children catch up, too few succeed in moving learners into mainstream schools.

Globally, half of AEP learners make the transition, but in crisis contexts the number falls to just four in ten. Yet less than half of education strategies in Africa, 47 percent, mention AEPs, and only five include plans to support learners after completion.

“This is a missing link in the fight for universal education,” said Dr. Randa Grob-Zakhary, Founder and CEO of Education .org. “Without deliberate, cost-effective strategies to help children transition into schools and stay there, we are condemning millions to fall through the cracks a second time.”

Shrinking aid, growing risk

The challenge comes as international education aid is projected to shrink by more than a quarter by 2027, according to UNESCO. Nearly six in ten AEPs worldwide, 58 percent, are already at risk of closure due to funding cuts. At least four million learners are currently enrolled, a figure likely underestimated due to weak tracking systems.

“Accelerated education programs cannot fulfil their promise without deliberate support for transitions into schools, skills, or work opportunities,” said Sarah Bugoosi Kibooli, Uganda’s Commissioner for Special Needs and Inclusive Education.

Harun Yussuf, CEO of Kenya’s National Commission for Nomadic Education, added: “The reality is that progress in access has been uneven. And unless we act collectively, the dream of education for all will remain a dream.”

Closing the transition gap

To address these challenges, Education .org has introduced the STEP Framework, or Supporting Transitions Through Evidence-Based Planning. It outlines five essentials: aligning AEPs with national curricula and life skills, ensuring that completion opens school doors, linking programs with nearby schools, providing support at enrolment and beyond, and making schools flexible and inclusive enough to sustain learners.

The report stresses that all five areas depend on collaboration between governments, schools, communities, and non-formal providers. When AEPs and schools are linked through shared governance, evidence shows that children are twice as likely to succeed.

The implications extend beyond AEPs to community schools, refugee centers, and catch-up classes. Without recognized pathways, older youth risk dropping out permanently, while girls, young mothers, and children with disabilities remain especially vulnerable.

“Accelerated education proves we already know how to teach literacy and numeracy quickly and well,” said Dr. Kilemi Mwiria, Education .org’s Africa representative. “What we are failing to do is close the transition gap, and without that, millions of children who finally start learning again will not get the chance to reach their full potential.”