Beyond the Classroom

Combining over 50 years of experience in locally-led solutions, AfriKids and Global Fund for Children are working together to take learning beyond the classroom, putting communities at the heart of change to unlock every child’s potential.

Thanks to support from the Players of Postcode Lottery, we will generate the evidence, momentum, and community leadership needed to transform education systems. We expect to:

• Answer critical questions about community mobilization and its impact on children’s learning
• Quantify the impact parents and communities can have on learning
• Identify the most cost-effective investments to drive change

Why now? Why Ghana?

By 2050, Africa will be home to one-third of the world’s children. While 8 in 10 children are completing primary school, just 1 in 10 leaves with minimum proficiency in reading and maths (UNESCO 2025).

In Ghana, the challenge is stark – nearly half the population lives in multidimensional poverty and one in eight children aged 3-15 are out of school. Even for those in school, the system isn’t delivering: Ghanian children spend more years in education than anywhere else in Africa, but gain the equivalent of just six years of learning.

Harnessing the impact of communities

Beyond the Classroom focuses on putting communities at the heart of change. By working with parents, families, teachers and local leaders, it expands opportunities to learn both inside the classroom and beyond. When communities believe in the value of education, support learning at home, and work closely with schools – children thrive.

Global Fund for Children’s role in this partnership

Global Fund for Children is working directly with seven trusted local organizations in Ghana, providing flexible funding, mentoring, and safeguarding expertise. Our focus is on providing community-based organizations with resources and autonomy to deliver what works.

By connecting grassroots leaders and amplifying their impact, GFC is generating powerful evidence that community-led solutions can improve learning outcomes and reshape how education is funded – unlocking a scalable model for lasting change.

Together with AfriKids, we will place local communities at the heart of sustainable, systemic change, ensuring more children learn today and lead tomorrow.

AfriKids’ role in the partnership: Unlocking the power of community to help more children learn

AfriKids is moving beyond traditional education models by engaging entire communities, not just schools or families, in supporting children’s learning. Their focus is on increasing the time children spend actively engaged in learning, both in and beyond the classroom. This includes:

• equipping caregivers with the knowledge and skills to support learning at home
• fostering stronger partnerships between schools and communities to identify and address barriers to education
• working with community leaders to champion education and drive lasting change.

Education awareness campaigns are also designed to reach entire communities, encouraging every child to go to school and every community member to see their role in a child’s learning.

AfriKids will test what happens when children spend more time learning, and how outcomes shift when communities believe in education and are supported to act. By generating evidence on what works, they aim to scale a model that ensures every child, no matter where they live, has the chance to learn, thrive and shape their own future.

From postcodes to possibilities, players for Postcode Lottery are helping to open doors so more children in Ghana can stay safe, learn and thrive beyond the classroom. Thank you for supporting the power of community.