Deadline: 20-May-2026
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is funding a two-year programme in Uganda worth USD 1.5 million to support out-of-school adolescents aged 10–19. The initiative focuses on accelerated education, skills development, and reintegration into formal or alternative learning pathways across refugee and host communities in six districts.
Overview of the Programme
This UNICEF initiative aims to improve access to education and skills development for out-of-school adolescents in Uganda through accelerated learning programmes and alternative education pathways. It targets vulnerable populations in refugee settlements and host communities, ensuring inclusive access to foundational education and life skills.
The programme is designed to support both reintegration into formal schooling and transition into vocational or alternative learning systems for long-term livelihood opportunities.
Geographic Coverage
The programme is implemented across six targeted districts in Uganda:
- Adjumani
- Isingiro
- Lamwo
- Madi-Okollo
- Terego
- Yumbe
These areas include both refugee settlements and host communities, with a focus on improving equitable access to education services.
Target Beneficiaries
The programme primarily supports out-of-school adolescents facing multiple vulnerabilities.
Key target groups include:
- Adolescents aged 10–19 years
- Refugee and host community learners
- Adolescent girls and young mothers
- Learners with disabilities
- Children from disadvantaged households
- Adolescents with interrupted education histories
The programme aims to reach approximately 6,000 out-of-school adolescents.
Key Focus Areas
The initiative supports a broad range of education and development priorities.
Key focus areas include:
- Accelerated education programmes
- Out-of-school adolescent education support
- Foundational literacy and numeracy development
- Life skills and employability skills training
- Education system strengthening
- Equity and inclusion in education access
- Refugee and host community education support
- Transition pathways to formal schooling
- Alternative education and skills development systems
- Community engagement in education
Programme Objectives
The programme is designed to improve access, retention, and learning outcomes for marginalized adolescents.
Key objectives include:
- Enabling out-of-school adolescents to re-enter learning pathways
- Strengthening foundational literacy, numeracy, and life skills
- Reducing education gaps caused by prolonged school absence
- Supporting transitions into formal primary and secondary education
- Facilitating access to vocational and alternative learning pathways
- Strengthening national education delivery systems
- Enhancing evidence-based education planning and policy development
Funding and Duration
The programme provides structured financial support for implementation.
- Total indicative funding: USD 1,500,000
- Implementation period: 2 years
- Focus: Education access and skills development for adolescents
- Funding supports system strengthening and direct learner interventions
System Strengthening Components
A key part of the programme focuses on improving education systems at national and local levels.
Key system-strengthening activities include:
- Training teachers, headteachers, and district education officials
- Improving identification systems for out-of-school adolescents
- Enhancing reintegration and retention strategies
- Strengthening monitoring and education data systems
- Using implementation evidence to inform national policy
- Scaling accelerated education models across regions
Community Engagement Strategy
The programme emphasizes strong community involvement in education support.
Key community actions include:
- Encouraging family and caregiver support for adolescent learning
- Addressing social, cultural, and economic barriers to education
- Strengthening community awareness of education opportunities
- Promoting shared responsibility for adolescent education outcomes
- Increasing local demand for inclusive learning opportunities
Equity and Inclusion Focus
The programme places strong emphasis on reaching marginalized learners.
Priority principles include:
- Equal access for girls and boys
- Inclusion of children with disabilities
- Support for refugee and displaced populations
- Targeting economically disadvantaged households
- Reducing structural barriers to education access
- Ensuring fair learning outcomes across vulnerable groups
Expected Outcomes
The programme is expected to achieve long-term improvements in education access and skills development.
Expected outcomes include:
- Increased re-entry of adolescents into learning systems
- Improved literacy, numeracy, and life skills
- Greater transition into formal and alternative education pathways
- Strengthened education systems for out-of-school learners
- Improved community support for adolescent education
- Enhanced equity in education access and outcomes
Conclusion
The UNICEF Uganda programme provides targeted support for out-of-school adolescents through accelerated education, skills development, and system strengthening interventions. By combining learning pathways, community engagement, and inclusive education strategies, it aims to reintegrate vulnerable adolescents into education systems and improve their long-term opportunities for learning and livelihoods.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.