Open Call for Expression of Interest for the Learning and Skilling Programme (Uganda)

Deadline: 13-Feb-2026

UNICEF invites partners to engage in the Learning and Skilling Programme under the 2026–2030 Uganda Country Programme. The initiative targets children, adolescents, and young people across Uganda, focusing on early childhood development, quality inclusive education, and market-aligned skilling to ensure successful transitions into adulthood. The programme emphasizes equity, inclusion, and lifelong learning for marginalized groups, including girls, refugees, and youth with disabilities.

Overview of the Open Call

The UNICEF Learning and Skilling Programme seeks partners to implement education and skills development interventions in Uganda, with a focus on the Central region. The programme aims to ensure that by 2030, all children and young people, particularly the most marginalized, have access to quality, safe, and equitable learning and are better prepared for employability and adulthood.

Key Focus Areas

• Early Childhood Development (ECD): Promoting readiness to learn through nurturing care, early education, and support for children with disabilities or developmental delays

• Education in Emergencies: Ensuring continuity of learning in crisis-affected contexts

• Learning Outcomes: Strengthening foundational skills and quality teaching across primary and lower secondary education

• Out-of-School Education: Providing alternative pathways for children and adolescents who are not enrolled in formal schooling

• Skills Development: Equipping adolescents and youth with market-relevant skills through vocational and non-formal pathways, curriculum updates, and private sector engagement

Programme Approach

The programme is structured around three interconnected preconditions:

1. Readiness to Learn: Ensuring young children are prepared for school through early learning, nurturing care, and parenting support

2. Quality and Inclusive Schooling: Supporting school-age children to complete primary and lower secondary education with strong foundational learning, safe environments, and qualified teachers

3. Market-Aligned Skilling: Enabling adolescents and youth to gain relevant skills and transition smoothly from education to employment, leveraging both formal and non-formal learning opportunities

Expected Results

• Early Learning: Children, including those with disabilities, receive quality early education, nurturing care, and stimulation

• Foundational Learning and Retention: School-age children acquire foundational skills, improve learning outcomes, and complete primary education successfully

• Equitable Skilling: Adolescents and youth gain relevant skills through inclusive, market-driven programmes with opportunities for transition into employment and adulthood

• Inclusion and Equity: Targeted support for marginalized populations, including girls, refugees, and youth with disabilities

Implementation Guidelines

• Partners should align interventions with UNICEF’s objectives for equitable and inclusive education and skilling

• Programmes must integrate system-level improvements to strengthen quality, retention, and learning outcomes

• Activities should connect educational pathways to labor market demands, ensuring practical, employable skills

• Monitoring and evaluation should focus on measurable outcomes in learning, skilling, and social inclusion

How to Participate / Apply

1. Review the Open Call requirements for the 2026–2030 Uganda Learning and Skilling Programme

2. Prepare an Expression of Interest (EOI) detailing organizational capacity, proposed interventions, target populations, and alignment with programme outcomes

3. Highlight strategies for inclusion of marginalized groups, equity, and market-relevant skills development

4. Submit EOI through the official UNICEF application platform before the stated deadline

5. Ensure proposed activities align with UNICEF standards for early childhood development, education, and youth skills programming

Common Mistakes & Tips

• Focusing solely on formal education without addressing out-of-school children or alternative pathways

• Ignoring inclusion of marginalized populations, such as girls, refugees, or children with disabilities

• Failing to link skills development to labor market demands

• Omitting system-level improvements or foundational learning initiatives

• Providing incomplete or non-specific implementation plans

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Who can apply? NGOs, civil society organizations, and education or youth-focused partners working in Uganda.

2. Which regions are prioritized? All of Uganda, with specific reference to the Central region.

3. What populations are targeted? Children, adolescents, and young people, especially marginalized groups including girls, refugees, and youth with disabilities.

4. What are the programme’s key thematic areas? Early childhood development, inclusive education, learning outcomes, out-of-school education, and skills development.

5. How does the programme support employability? Through market-aligned vocational and non-formal skills training and private sector engagement.

6. Are system-level improvements included? Yes, to strengthen foundational learning, teaching quality, and retention.

7. What is the expected timeframe? Interventions align with the 2026–2030 Uganda Country Programme.

Conclusion

The UNICEF Learning and Skilling Programme offers a strategic platform for partners to enhance education and skills outcomes in Uganda, prioritizing inclusion, equity, and market-ready competencies. By engaging with early childhood development, inclusive schooling, and youth skilling, the initiative supports the holistic development of children and young people, preparing them for lifelong learning, employability, and successful transitions to adulthood.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.