Back to School 2026/2027 · Africa Education Report
Back to School 2026/2027 : How to Help an African Child Return to School
In a few weeks, millions of backpacks should be heading back to school across Africa. For over 100 million children, this path will stop before they even reach the schoolyard. Here’s why — and what you can do, very concretely, before the end of the summer.
A school year that won’t happen for everyone
Each year, the back-to-school season is celebrated as a symbol of hope: new notebooks, ironed uniforms, reunions with classmates. But behind this image, another reality is silently advancing. According to UNESCO’s latest report on education in Africa, the number of out-of-school children on the continent now exceeds 100 million — an increase of over 13 million compared to a few years ago, despite tens of millions of additional enrollments since 2015.
Another alarming sign: four out of five 10-year-olds cannot read and understand a simple text. In other words, even among enrolled children, many are not acquiring the basic skills that would enable them to escape poverty in the long term.
The 2026/2027 school year is therefore shaping up to be a pivotal moment: without additional mobilization, the gap between children who return to class and those who stay home will continue to widen.
Why so many children are likely to stay home this year
School dropout is almost never a choice. It is the result of an accumulation of obstacles, often invisible from the outside:
- 01The cost of supplies, uniforms, and associated fees, which remains out of reach for many rural families.
- 02The distance to the nearest school, sometimes several hours of walking, especially dangerous for girls.
- 03Child labor, which becomes essential to household income during harvest seasons or economic crises.
- 04Early marriage, which abruptly ends the schooling of many adolescent girls.
- 05The lack of trained teachers and basic infrastructure (clean water, electricity, sanitation).
- 06Climate shocks and population displacement, which abruptly interrupt educational paths.
Many of these children wanted to return to class. What they lacked was almost never the will to learn — it was a notebook, a uniform, or a classroom still standing after the rainy season. — Field report, Africa Education Programs
7 concrete ways to help an African child return to school
The good news: each of these obstacles can be overcome with a specific action. Here, in order of immediate impact, are seven ways to act before the school year begins.
Fund school supplies and a uniform
Notebooks, pens, bag, and uniform are often the first barrier to enrollment. A targeted donation can remove this barrier within days.
Cover school and exam fees
In several countries, additional fees are added to “free” schooling and are enough to exclude a child from the system.
Support the construction or rehabilitation of classrooms
Overcrowded or storm-damaged classrooms discourage the enrollment of dozens of children at a time.
Fund a daily school meal
A hot meal at school increases both attendance and concentration for the most vulnerable children.
Contribute to teacher training
A trained teacher changes the trajectory of dozens, even hundreds, of students over a career.
Raise awareness among families, especially for girls
Local campaigns help parents delay early marriage and keep their daughters in school.
Make a recurring donation to a field organization
A monthly contribution, even a modest one, allows planning programs across the entire school year rather than relying on occasional fundraisers.
Give a child a school year, today
A donation, however small, can cover supplies, a uniform, or a school meal for an entire year. That is often all that separates a child from their classroom.
🎒 I donate to educationWhat your donation concretely changes
Each contribution is turned into measurable actions on the ground: a set of supplies delivered before the school year, a classroom rehabilitated before the rainy season, a meal served every noon. These are not symbols — they are school days gained, one by one, for children who, without this support, would stay home again this year.
Still have questions?
The 2026/2027 school year can still change face for thousands of children. Often, only one gesture is missing.