West Africa conference to push scaling of education innovations in crisis-hit communities

By: Samuel Asamoah 

Policymakers, researchers, education practitioners, development partners and financing institutions from across West Africa are set to meet in Accra to explore how proven education innovations can be scaled up to support children and young people affected by conflicts, displacement and other emergencies.

The 2nd High-Level Conference on Scaling Education Initiatives in Emergencies (EiE) – West Africa, known as ACCELERATE+, will take place from September 29 to 30, 2026, at La Palm Beach Hotel in Accra.

The conference is being organised by Associates for Change, a Ghana-based research think tank, in partnership with the Center for the Studies in the Economies of Africa (CSEA), Nigeria, and the Centre for Studies, Research and Training for Social and Economic Development (CERFODES), Burkina Faso.

The Global Partnership for Education-supported KIX research programme under the International Development Research Centre is the key sponsor, alongside NORRAG Global Education Centre.

The conference comes amid persistent disruptions to education across fragile, conflict- and violence-affected contexts in the sub-region.

According to the organisers, armed conflicts, displacement, climate-related disasters, public health emergencies and socio-economic shocks continue to restrict access to safe and quality education while undermining learning outcomes, particularly among girls and other marginalised children and young people.

Although research and successful education innovations are increasingly available, the organisers say a major challenge remains in translating those interventions into policy, sustainable financing and large-scale implementation.

The conference will therefore examine education innovations that are ready for scaling, the conditions required for successful implementation, and the policy and financing mechanisms needed to integrate proven approaches into national and regional education systems.

In the context of the conference, scaling refers to expanding the reach, uptake and sustainability of proven education innovations beyond their original project settings while adapting them to different contexts and needs.

The programme will focus on five major areas, including building resilient education systems capable of responding to conflict, displacement, climate shocks and other emergencies.

Participants will also examine foundational learning, e-learning, inclusion and educational innovation, including accelerated education and early childhood education.

Other areas of focus will include social protection, teacher well-being, safeguarding, psychosocial support, girls’ empowerment, peacebuilding and safe learning environments.

The conference will further explore education pathways linked to gender, youth, skills development and transition to work, alongside education financing, domestic resource mobilisation and innovative financing mechanisms.

These discussions are expected to include issues such as impact bonds and the costs and benefits of investing in education innovations in fragile, conflict- and violence-affected contexts.

Ghana’s Minister of Education, Haruna Idrisu, is scheduled to hold a press conference on Thursday to officially announce the conference and the commencement of activities.

Organisers say ACCELERATE+ is intended to bring together stakeholders from West Africa and beyond to accelerate the institutionalisation of proven solutions, with the ultimate objective of expanding access to quality education for children and young people living in crisis-affected communities.

The initiative is expected to place particular emphasis on ensuring that education interventions address not only access and learning, but also the safety, well-being and future opportunities of children and young people affected by crises.