The road to the promotion of gender, equity, and inclusion in Africa’s has been long and winding, with smooth stretches and some steep areas. This sub-theme looks at what African Governments are doing (or have done), reflect on the gaps, and explore what can be done differently in terms of innovative strategies.

What is Working

At present, many countries have gender-inclusive education policies and legal reforms (e.g., Ghana’s Affirmative Action Bill, Kenya’s Free Primary Education with equity provisions). FAWE is working with countries to implement the Gender-Responsive Pedagogy (GRP) framework – a teaching approach that integrates gender sensitivity into lesson planning, teaching methods, and classroom management. Through the framework, teachers are trained to use inclusive language, encourage equal participation, and address gender stereotypes, resulting in increased girls’ retention and participation. The African Union (AU), through CIEFFA and the Gender at the Centre Initiative (GCI), has provided high-level advocacy and platforms for tracking progress. Countries such as Kenya and Ghana have national policies and school-level practices that integrate children with disabilities into mainstream schools. Practices include accessible infrastructure, assistive technology, individualized education plans (IEPs), and teacher training, resulting in improved enrollment and retention of children with disabilities.

There are ongoing programs that provide second-chance education for girls, for example in Nigeria (North-East) and Mali. These are accelerated learning programmes for adolescent girls affected by conflict or early marriage, implemented by UNICEF’s Girls for Girls programme, UNGEI, and local NGOs. The initiative has seen the reintegration of thousands of girls into formal education or vocational training, improving economic empowerment and reducing vulnerability to violence. Home-grown school feeding programmes are also in several African counties. The School Meals & Sanitation Programs in Ethiopia and Zambia are helping to keep girls in school through the provision of school meals, menstrual hygiene products, and separate sanitation facilities for girls. Implemented by WFP, Save the Children, and local education authorities, the initiative has increased girls’ attendance and performance, especially during menstruation, and improved overall school enrollment.

Uganda has one of the largest education in refugee and host community initiative. It is an integrated education program where refugee children learn alongside host communities. With support from partners such as UNHCR and Education Cannot Wait, the initiative promotes inclusion, social cohesion, and peaceful coexistence between communities. Other positives include data-driven planning through increased investments in EMIS and gender-disaggregated data to inform better planning, and targeted programs such as conditional cash transfers for girls (e.g., in Nigeria), sanitary kits and WASH facilities (Zambia, Ethiopia), and safe school initiatives in post-conflict states.

African countries are responding to climate adaptation through their education systems in various ways, including through policy and institutional support, curriculum development and integration, research, teacher training and capacity building, technology and innovation, community-based and informal education, and partnerships. Regarding policy and institutional support, countries like Ethiopia and Rwanda are embedding climate resilience in national education strategies. the African Union and UNESCO are also supporting frameworks for integrating climate education across the continent. For the curriculum development and integration, there are climate-focused curriculum in countries like Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria, who are integrating climate change education into science, geography, and agriculture subjects at the primary and secondary levels. Indigenous knowledge integration is also ongoing with educational programs incorporating traditional environmental knowledge (e.g., sustainable farming, water conservation) into school curricula. Countries have also embraced Green TVET through programmes that equip students with practical green skills like solar panel installation, sustainable agriculture, and eco-construction.

Where Are the Gaps and What Can Be Done Differently?

A key gap is in implementation weakness. Strong policies exist but often lack proper funding, teacher training, and monitoring systems. Persistent stereotypes and cultural practices – such as child marriage and prioritizing boys’ education – continue to hinder progress. There is also inadequate focus on intersectionality, with efforts often overlooking learners with disabilities, refugees, ethnic minorities, and mobile communities. With the urban-rural divide, remote areas suffer most from lack of female teachers, poor infrastructure, and security issues.

Countries need to mainstream GEI into all education policies and budgets, thus making gender and inclusion central to every education sector plan and policy. There is value in investing in the last mile, prioritizing rural, displaced, and underserved learners through community learning centers, mobile schools, and accessible digital tools. Strengthen school governance with community voice and support female teachers and leaders by providing incentives, scholarships, and leadership programs to increase women educators in underserved communities. On climate adaptation, develop climate-focused curricula in primary and secondary schools, which integrate localized climate education into national curricula (e.g. drought resilience in Sahel, flood management in West Africa. Also develop community climate literacy programs and embrace indigenous knowledge and climate resilience education by documenting and teaching indigenous ecological knowledge (e.g. traditional weather forecasting, herbal soil treatment), and blending science and tradition in climate adaptation education programs.

Other innovative strategies to consider:

• Gender-Responsive EdTech Platforms: Develop mobile-based tools tailored to girls’ schedules and learning contexts, especially in rural settings.
• "Safe to Learn" Certification: A system that rewards schools for meeting safety, gender, and inclusion standards.
• Inclusion Hubs in Teacher Colleges: Use innovation labs and immersive training (e.g., VR simulations) to train teachers on inclusive education.
• Digital IDs + Learning Wallets: Track student attendance and entitlements, especially for refugees and nomadic children.
• Gender Equality Scorecards: Link funding and accountability to actual GEI outcomes, not just commitments.
• TVET for Climate Resilience: Specialize in climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy systems, water management, and green construction.
• University Innovation Hubs and Research Centers: Create climate innovation labs at universities to foster local solutions (e.g. drought-tolerant crops, micro-irrigation).
• Education for Women and Girls: Expand climate leadership training for girls, especially in pastoralist and farming communities.

African governments have made important strides in promoting gender, equity, and inclusion in education. However, the current pace and scale of implementation are not enough. What’s needed now is a shift – from treating GEI as an 'add-on' to embedding it as a core standard of quality and justice in every national education system. This is one of the aspects this sub-theme will interrogate.