Transitions from Primary to Post-Primary Education: Using Non-Formal Learning Opportunities to Increase Access and Relevance

This paper briefly inventories the reasons that formal education systems are not currently educating all children in SSA and cannot accommodate significantly more children in post-primary education (chapter 1). It goes on to explore the evolution of attitudes and approaches towards NFE programs (chapter 2) and to policies draw different lines of demarcation between formal education and NFE, and the purposes that the latter can serve (chapter 3). It suggests that formal education systems can draw inspiration from successful NFE pilots to expand access to post-primary education. It concludes that for SSA governments toexpand access to primary and to post-primary education, they could considerbuilding on many NFE initiatives that are already present; creating mechanisms to enhance programs and bring them within the compass of national education policies; and building bridges between NFE programs and the formal education system so as to expand learning opportunities for all.