MEDIA BRIEF: African Universities Convene International Conference on Nomadic and Alternative Education

BACKGROUND & RATIONALE

Across Africa, millions of children, young people and adults continue to face barriers to quality education because conventional schooling systems do not always reflect the realities of mobile, nomadic, displaced, remote and socially marginalised communities.

For pastoralist and nomadic families, fixed-school arrangements may conflict with seasonal movement, livelihoods, language needs, cultural practices and distance from schools. Similar barriers affect migrants, refugees, internally displaced people and learners in hard-to-reach communities, contributing to irregular attendance, low enrolment and retention, disrupted learning and limited progression to further education and skills development.

While alternative and flexible education approaches exist across the continent, many remain fragmented, underfunded or insufficiently integrated into national education systems.

The International Conference on Nomadic and Alternative Education will bring together academic institutions, policymakers, practitioners, communities and development actors to examine evidence, share practical approaches and explore how flexible learning pathways can become more inclusive, sustainable and scalable.

PURPOSE OF EVENT

The conference seeks to strengthen policy dialogue, knowledge exchange and collaboration around effective approaches to nomadic and alternative education in Africa.

It will provide a platform to examine current barriers, share evidence and innovative delivery models, explore policy and financing options, and identify opportunities to strengthen the integration of flexible education approaches within national education systems.

PARTICIPANTS

The conference will bring together researchers, educators, policymakers, government agencies, development partners, civil society organisations, teachers, community leaders and representatives of nomadic and marginalised communities.

Participants will join physically from partner university locations in Kano, Mogadishu, Nairobi and Windhoek, with virtual participation also available.

OBJECTIVES

The conference aims to:

• Strengthen understanding of the educational barriers affecting nomadic, pastoralist, migrant, refugee, displaced and other marginalised learners.
• Promote exchange of evidence and practical experience on inclusive and flexible education models.
• Explore sustainable financing, policy and institutional approaches for alternative education.
• Strengthen collaboration among universities, governments, communities, civil society and development partners.
• Generate practical recommendations for improving access, equity, quality, relevance and sustainability in nomadic and alternative education.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE INTERVENTION

The three-day programme will combine policy dialogue, academic research and practical experience.

Day One will feature the opening ceremony, policy and strategic dialogue and a welcome reception.

Day Two will focus on research presentations and technical sessions.

Day Three will continue research presentations, strengthen partnership discussions and conclude with the closing ceremony.

Discussions will span 14 thematic areas, including policy and legal frameworks; pastoralism, culture and tradition; sustainable financing; mobile and flexible learning; teacher recruitment and support; language and community engagement; data and research; digital learning; gender, disability and inclusion; education in displacement, migration, insecurity and emergencies; and links between education, skills and livelihoods.

Keynote addresses, lead papers and panel discussions will draw on both research and practical experience.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

The conference is expected to contribute to stronger shared understanding of the barriers affecting nomadic and marginalised learners across Africa, increased exchange of evidence and promising approaches, and deeper collaboration among universities, governments, communities and development actors.

It is also expected to generate policy recommendations on strengthening the connection between nomadic and alternative education and national education systems; identify options for financing and scaling inclusive education approaches; and contribute to a conference communiqué or proceedings and the proposed establishment of a continental network on nomadic and alternative education research and practice.

KEY MESSAGES FOR MEDIA

The conference provides an opportunity to reinforce the following messages:

• Education systems must be flexible enough to reach children and young people whose lives do not fit conventional schooling models.
• Nomadic, pastoralist, displaced, migrant and remote learners should not be excluded from quality education because of geography, mobility, conflict or social circumstances.
• Alternative education should not be treated as a parallel or temporary solution; stronger links with national education systems are essential for quality, continuity and sustainability.
• Effective solutions require evidence, sustainable financing, trained teachers, responsive policy frameworks and meaningful engagement with the communities they are intended to serve.
• Collaboration among governments, universities, communities, civil society and development partners is critical to developing education pathways that are inclusive, relevant and scalable.
• Gender, disability and other forms of exclusion must remain central to the design of flexible and alternative education models.

MEDIA COVERAGE OPPORTUNITIES

Media engagement should move beyond reporting that a conference was held and explore the wider education challenge and potential solutions.

Priority coverage opportunities include interviews with policymakers, researchers and practitioners on the scale and nature of educational exclusion among nomadic and marginalised populations; conversations on flexible and alternative education models; perspectives from nomadic or affected communities where appropriate and ethically facilitated; discussions on financing and government ownership; and stories examining how gender, disability, displacement and insecurity compound barriers to education.

Media may also cover key policy recommendations, research findings and commitments emerging from the conference.

SAFEGUARDING AND MEDIA GUIDELINES

All media engagement and coverage must comply with Plan International’s safeguarding, child protection, and ethical communication standards. The safety, dignity, privacy, and protection of adolescent girls and young women must remain central throughout the event.

The identity, personal details, images, and any identifiable information of participating adolescents, young people and adults must not be disclosed, published, or circulated without prior informed consent and formal approval through Plan International’s safeguarding and media consent procedures.

All photography, videography, interviews, and documentation must be guided and supervised by authorized Plan International staff. No participant should be identified by name, exact location, or any other information that may expose them to risk, especially where the participant is under 18 or where disclosure could result in stigma, discrimination, harassment, exploitation, or harm.

Media representatives are expected to avoid sensational, stigmatising, or inaccurate representation and to ensure that all stories reflect dignity, agency, safety, and respect.

MEDIA COORDINATION

Media interviews, photography, filming and access to designated speakers should be coordinated through the conference communications team.

Speaker information and interview availability will be communicated separately once confirmed.

MEDIA CONTACT

Conference Secretary: Audu Liman
Mobile: 08086661659

Email: liman.aisd@maaun.edu.ng

Plan International Nigeria – Brand & Communications Representative
Queeneth Njoku

Mobile: +234 806 430 3965/ +234 704 222 7745

Email: Queeneth.Njoku@plan-internationa.org

About the Partner Universities

The four universities—Capital University of Somalia, the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Kenya, Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, and the University of Namibia—are reputable institutions committed to providing quality tertiary education and developing the human capital needed to drive socioeconomic development in their respective countries. Beyond teaching, these institutions conduct research that informs policy and practice and generates solutions to shared development challenges.

Recognising the persistent educational challenges faced by nomadic and pastoralist communities across their countries, the universities have come together to promote inclusive and equitable access to quality education for these underserved populations. Through collaboration, they seek to share research findings, exchange good practices, and identify effective, context-responsive approaches to expanding educational opportunities for nomadic and pastoralist children and communities.

The International Conference on Nomadic and Alternative Education represents the culmination of this collaborative effort. It provides a platform for researchers, policymakers, education practitioners, development partners, and other stakeholders to share knowledge, strengthen partnerships, and advance practical solutions that ensure nomadic and pastoralist populations are not left behind in the pursuit of quality education.

About Plan International Nigeria 

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion, and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected. 

Founded over 85 years ago and in over 80 countries, we work together with children, young people, supporters, and partners and strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face.

Plan International commenced operations in Nigeria in 2014, driving systemic change for children and young people, especially girls, guided by a gender transformative and locally-led approach, ensuring all our interventions are evidence-driven, scalable, and aligned with national priorities and global frameworks. Our bold ambition is to empower 20 million girls to take action and drive change by 2028, and we won’t stop until we are all equal.