UNICEF’s September 2026 education strategy, Shaping the Future of Learning, sets out a vision for improving learning, equity and skills for children and adolescents. UNICEF describes it as building on its Education Strategy 2019–2030 and supporting implementation of its Strategic Plan 2026–2029.

For African education organisations, the publication offers a prompt to review how activities connect to meaningful learning. It is a strategy document, not an open grant announcement or a guarantee of UNICEF partnership. Read UNICEF’s official strategy overview.

Define the change learners should experience

ATI’s practical recommendation is to begin a programme review with one sentence describing the intended change for learners. Avoid making attendance, distributed materials or completed workshops the final outcome. Those measures describe delivery; teams also need a feasible way to assess the learning or participation change the intervention seeks.

For example, a reading programme can specify the relevant skill, the group being supported and how progress will be assessed. Targets should follow a baseline and local agreement rather than an attractive percentage chosen for a proposal.

Examine who the programme misses

Review participation and progress together. A strong average can hide poor access for learners affected by displacement, disability, language barriers or distance. Use only information that is necessary, protect learner privacy and interpret small groups carefully.

Bring teachers, caregivers and learners into the discussion using appropriate safeguarding arrangements. Ask which practical barriers the organisation can address, which require public-sector partners and which fall outside the programme’s current capacity.

Make the delivery assumptions explicit

A new learning tool depends on more than purchasing it. Teams should examine available teacher time, language suitability, support arrangements, recurring costs and the conditions in which the tool will be used. For digital approaches, include connectivity, device access and an alternative when the service is unavailable.

These questions are ATI’s planning advice; they are not a list of requirements issued by UNICEF. Use them to identify what needs testing before expanding an intervention.

Connect evidence to the next decision

Choose a review date and state what the team will decide when the evidence arrives: continue, adapt, expand or stop a component. Assign responsibility for gathering the evidence and documenting the decision. A monitoring plan is more useful when its findings have a clear management purpose.

ATI’s project logframe template and M&E plan template can help organise this review. For developing a proposal around the agreed approach, explore Proposal Writing & Fundraising training.

Source note: The strategy summary is based on UNICEF’s official September 2026 overview. The programme-review questions are ATI’s original analysis.

The Africa Early Warnings Forum, held in Addis Ababa on 2–4 September 2026, has produced a call to strengthen the systems that help communities act before hazards become disasters. In its 7 September report, the World Meteorological Organization highlights persistent gaps in warning coverage, coordination and sustainable financing.

The call treats early warnings as a continuing public service. It asks governments and partners to connect technical information with accessible communication, clear responsibilities and resources for action. For African NGOs, the practical question is how their projects support that service after a grant ends. Read the official WMO call to action.

Map the handover between institutions

ATI’s implementation advice is to select one plausible local hazard and trace the warning from its authorised source to the people expected to act. Write down who receives it, checks it, communicates it and makes the operational decision. Include a substitute for each critical role.

Then run a short tabletop exercise. A message arriving outside office hours, a damaged road or a staff member being unavailable can expose a gap that an organisational chart does not show. Record the gap, its owner and a realistic correction date.

Budget for keeping the service working

A project budget should make recurring costs visible alongside equipment purchases. Teams can review maintenance, communication, refresher training, accessibility support and replacement supplies with the responsible public authority. Document which institution can fund each cost after the project closes.

This is a planning recommendation, not a claim that a particular donor will finance those costs. Check the actual grant agreement before allocating funds. ATI’s Grants & Funding hub separates opportunities from donor research resources.

Measure whether people can use the warning

Do not rely on the number of messages sent as the only success measure. In a locally designed exercise, ask a small and appropriately selected group to explain the message, identify the expected action and describe any obstacle to taking it. Agree on safe ways to include people with different languages, disabilities and access to phones.

Use the findings to revise the message and delivery process. Avoid claiming that a simulation proves future losses will fall; it tests a specific part of preparedness under stated conditions.

Put the review into the workplan

Use ATI’s M&E plan template to assign evidence sources, responsibilities and review dates. Professionals responsible for budgets and compliance can also explore Grants Management training.

Source note: The event and policy summary are drawn from WMO’s 7 September 2026 publication. The delivery checklist is ATI’s analysis. This article does not announce a funding call.