When you hear the word "education," what is the first image that comes to mind?

Perhaps it’s a school building, children in uniforms, classrooms filled with desks, chairs, and a teacher standing at the front. If so, you are not alone. For many, education conjures up images of traditional institutions that have existed for centuries. However, the reality is that not every child has the luxury of attending school for eight hours a day. While whether this should be the case is a matter of debate, it is an undeniable reality that we must address.

According to UNESCO, there are 251 million out-of-school children in the world, 98 million of those children are in Sub-Saharan Africa, and nine out of ten children in Africa who have attended school cannot read with comprehension. While access to education is increasing, it has become evident that it might be time to reimagine education on the African continent.

These statistics raise an important question: How should we tackle the education crisis on a global scale? How can we provide access to high-quality, impactful education in Africa? What interventions are working and what needs to be changed ? In other words, how can we reimagine education for Africa?

The concept of reimagining education is not new. Over the last 20 years, the world has witnessed the emergence of new educational approaches, such as Schools of the Future, Real Schools, Online Universities, and Cohort-Based Learning Experiences. The list is endless.

But does Africa have such dynamic and innovative learning models and institutions? The answer is yes. After speaking with three edupreneurs - innovative entrepreneur who applies business principles, strategies, and technologies to develop educational solutions that address systemic gaps in education.  I am excited to share that both Africans and non-Africans are actively reimagining education on the continent. They are empowering teachers, providing access to high-quality education, and creating shorter learning experiences that have a meaningful impact.

The stories behind the solutions 

These are stories of everyday people shaped by everyday interactions—people who follow lingering questions, weave meaning from experience, and imagine new possibilities as they take one step at a time.

For Victoria, it began with an incredible primary school teacher:
"She truly saw me, nurtured my potential, and shaped my journey. As a child, I was happy but closed off and lacking confidence. She recognized something in me, challenged me, and made me love learning and school."(Time stamp 2:53)

For Leopold, the turning point was his first teaching assignment in a place no one wanted to be:
"When I arrived, a cleaner was filling the teaching position because no one else was willing to take the job. That situation had already been in place for several months."(Timestamp:1:55)

Silke always dreamed of opening a school—though she never imagined it wouldn’t be a traditional brick-and-mortar institution. Instead, she found herself creating something more fluid and far-reaching.(Time stamp: 10:10)

And for Kayode, it was a series of short learning experiences funded by NGOs and social impact organizations that sparked something deeper. He took what he learned and adapted it for children in slums across West Africa—designing 2–5 day boot camps, each focused on building one real-world skill at a time.

Three edupreneurs. Three distinct journeys. Three unique approaches to reimagining education in Africa. Let’s take a closer look at their programs—each one worth exploring, and each model offering valuable lessons worth replicating. 

Three Models to Explore in Africa

Micro-Schools: Reclaiming Community-Based Learning

Micro-schools are structured around smaller classrooms with fewer administrative staff and lower overhead costs. Instead of investing in expensive infrastructure, these schools utilize homes or existing community spaces, ensuring that learning happens in a conducive environment—both architecturally and socially. This model brings education back to its core as a pillar of societal development. It is not separate from society but embedded in it. Imagine learning farming from a local farmer. How valuable would that be? This innovative approach intentionally curates spaces that are not only physically conducive to learning but also socially grounded within the community.

Bootcamps: Streamlined, Focused Education for Immediate Impact

We typically go to school from age 4 to 18, excluding university, but what if that’s not possible? Bootcamps highlight that education can be shorter than the traditional 12 years. When 12 years is not feasible, there are options—more streamlined, focused, and solution-driven learning experiences that equip communities to solve their own problems. This model offers a possibility for individuals to gain the skills needed to thrive, regardless of the traditional educational timeline.

Open Source Learning: Democratizing Education with Technology

In an era where raising funds to build schools, buy tablets, and purchase books is a significant challenge, open-source learning materials present a solution that requires fewer resources in the long run. Imagine taking a government-approved curriculum and tailoring it with expert-led, short video lessons that focus on the core principles. These videos do not just define key terms; they help students make connections between the what, why, how, and when. Content is carefully designed by subject matter experts within a peer-review structure. This model reduces barriers to education and ensures high-quality learning experiences for all.

These are just examples of solutions that address the complex problems of education inequality, learning poverty, and the disparity between public and private education. However, the list of possibilities is endless.

Three Lessons I Learned About Reimagining Education from Edupreneurs

1. It Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive to Be Effective:

   It’s easy to expect that educational programs must be grand and large-scale, which often leads to high costs and delays in execution. However, through conversations with Victoria, it became clear that this obstacle can be overcome. With micro-schools, operational costs are reduced significantly, making it possible to establish more schools offering high-quality education. Another advantage is the reduced strain on overworked teachers. With smaller classrooms, the student-to-teacher ratio is lower, allowing for a more personalized and effective learning environment.

2. Measuring Impact Takes Time:

   In a world where large numbers are often seen as the ultimate sign of success, a recurring theme in my conversations was the importance of measuring impact over time. True change is often slow, and success should be evaluated based on long-term outcomes rather than immediate numbers. A powerful example of this in action is the two-day bootcamp by Kayode Alabi. While the students come up with intelligent solutions and share how they now see themselves as problem-solvers, the real impact will be seen years down the line when they begin to solve problems in their communities. Monitoring their journeys will be crucial. This is also evidenced by Victoria, who didn’t take action until she was 26, even though the seed had been planted in her mind since she was 10. In line with this idea is a quote by Leopold “We are an NGO, and our focus is on creating impact. We need to demonstrate this impact to attract more funding so we can produce more content. It's crucial that we get it right because we must showcase the real impact of our work to secure further support and ensure that the public recognizes the difference we’re making. The goal is to create something that shifts the needle and truly changes the education landscape.”(Timestamp 20:00)  The impact is not merely about the numbers, it’s about the results, changes and improvements that can be seen, they just require more intentionality to be seen. 

3. You Do Not Need Shiny Gadgets or High-End Software to Provide Access to Quality Education:

   In the age of AI and the EdTech craze, Thuma Mina Teaching by Leopold and Silke Van Valden has truly demystified the idea that you need to create a platform or a shiny new tool to make an impact. The open-source learning model is both innovative and cost-effective. Not only does it save time and provide broad access, but it also scrutinizes learning content to ensure the highest quality, in line with government-approved curricula. We need more open platforms, like Thuma Mina, to democratize access to quality educational content. These platforms allow anyone with an internet connection to access lessons, training, and resources. They provide an alternative for learners in remote or underserved regions, offering the opportunity to access high-quality education without the traditional barriers of geography, cost, or infrastructure. Additionally, this model complements the concept of micro-schools, where teachers and facilitators can use open resources to guide students through personalized, small-scale educational experiences.

Beyond the numbers and the impact is the fact that these solutions are pioneered by people like you and me, spurred by experiences that marked them. For many it was the presence of an inspiring teacher, for some the absence thereof, and for others the guidance of a relentless father, irrespective of their backgrounds, who found a way to make a way for someone else. Their unique stories tell a uniform story, all it takes is one person to say yes, or one experience that is slightly different from the rest and we can see change. Education does not have to look like brick-and-mortar schools, neither does it have to look like tablets and laptops. There’s an innovative middle that exists and is worth exploring. 

In the next article we will share insights from educators and entrepreneurs working in the teacher development space. We will examine how innovation and teaching are changing the educational landscape in Africa and the evolving role of the teacher in diverse African learning environments.