African Union Launches Ten-Year Education Drive as Refugee Pathways Expand
Addis Ababa, 26 February 2026
The African Union has initiated a comprehensive decade-long education strategy running from 2025-2034, coinciding with expanded opportunities for refugees to access third countries through educational scholarships and skills programmes. This development comes as refugee communities in Kenya’s Kalobeyei settlement have been organising protests demanding better educational access and infrastructure improvements. The timing suggests a coordinated approach to address Africa’s educational challenges whilst providing new pathways for displaced populations beyond traditional resettlement options.
AU Decade Strategy Gains International Support
The African Union Commission held a High-Level Partners’ Consultation on 24-25 February 2026 to accelerate implementation of the AU Decade of Education and Skills Development [1]. Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation Professor Gaspard Banyankimbona has been actively engaging international partners, including Switzerland’s Ambassador Riccarda Chanda, to build knowledge-based partnerships grounded in African ownership and systemic capacity development [2]. The consultation focused particularly on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) transformation, ethical innovation, and developing green and digital skills ecosystems across the continent [2]. This strategic approach aligns with the African Continental TVET Strategy 2025-34, which emphasises sustainable development, social justice and employability for all [1][3].
Complementary Pathways Offer New Routes for Refugees
UNHCR Kenya has expanded complementary pathways that provide safe and regulated avenues for refugees seeking admission to third countries, moving beyond traditional resettlement options [4]. These pathways include family reunification, labour mobility schemes, educational scholarships, humanitarian aid programmes, and private sponsorship initiatives [4]. Educational pathways specifically offer higher education opportunities in third countries based on academic qualifications and language skills rather than protection needs, creating long-term solutions within regular migration systems [4]. However, eligibility varies significantly across programmes, with some accepting both recognised refugees and asylum-seekers, whilst others limit participation to recognised refugees only [4]. The Kenyan government typically requires recognised refugee status before authorising departure through complementary pathways, though exceptions may be considered for asylum-seekers on a case-by-case basis [4].
Kalobeyei Refugees Demand Educational Access
Refugees in Kenya’s Kalobeyei settlement have a documented history of protests demanding better living conditions and infrastructure improvements, which extends to educational access concerns [5]. In November 2022, residents of Villages One and Two blocked the main road connecting the settlement to Kakuma’s central business district, with protesters primarily consisting of women and girls carrying empty water containers [5]. The protest highlighted systemic infrastructure problems, with one community leader noting that promises made when Kalobeyei opened seven years earlier had not materialised, as “UNHCR and local government cannot fix infrastructural problems here” [5]. Earlier in March 2022, refugees from three zones in Kakuma had marched to the UNHCR compound to protest severe water shortages, demonstrating ongoing advocacy for basic services that impact educational access [5].
Implementation Timeline and Access Requirements
The AU Decade of Education and Skills Development officially began in 2025 and will run through 2034, providing nearly a decade for systematic implementation across African nations [1]. For refugees seeking educational pathways through complementary programmes, UNHCR Kenya assists those accepted to obtain authorisation to depart the country [4]. Potential applicants should note that complementary pathway programmes maintain their own specific criteria and eligibility requirements, which are jointly established by managing organisations and destination country governments [4]. The timing of the AU consultation in February 2026 suggests active momentum in coordinating educational initiatives that could benefit refugee populations through expanded DAFI scholarship programmes and vocational training opportunities, though specific application deadlines and procedures require direct contact with relevant implementing organisations [alert! ‘specific DAFI programme details and deadlines not provided in sources’].