EVIDENCE FOR SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION - October 2024 - Improving Education Access and Completion for Marginalized Learners

Oct 15, 2026

This background research paper from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) synthesizes evidence on what works to improve access and completion for marginalized children and youth. It frames education as a human right aligned with SDG 4 and relevant international conventions, emphasizing inclusive, equitable systems that leave no one behind. Using an intersectional lens, the paper highlights enabling factors and practical reform pathways combining systemwide policy changes with targeted interventions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages39

Reading Time1 h 38 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Education as a right and SDG 4 alignment

GPE commitments and strategic planning context

Evidence synthesis purpose and approach

EVIDENCE FOR SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION IMPROVING EDUCATION ACCESS AND COMPLETION FOR MARGINALIZED LEARNERS October 2024 The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) publishes background papers to disseminate the findings of work in progress and encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. This is part of a larger effort by the GPE Secretariat to provide open access to its analytical work and contribute to discussions about evidence in education. The authors of the papers should be cited. The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of GPE and its affiliated organizations, or those of the GPE Board of Directors or the governments they represent. Acknowledgments This paper was drafted by Sophia D’Angelo with inputs from David Balwanz, Rachel Booth, Meredith Bouvier, Sally Gear and Anna-Maria Tammi. We are grateful to Jane Sunderland for copyediting. For feedback, please contact Anna-Maria Tammi, senior thematic lead for Equity & Inclusion, [at ](at atammi@globalpartnership.org)[atammi@globalpartnership.org](at atammi@globalpartnership.org). 1. Introduction In pursuit of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 which emphasizes ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all, it is imperative to underscore the significance of ensuring education systems leave no child or adolescent behind. Education stands as a fundamental human right, enshrined in various international declarations and conventions. Nearly all Global Partnership for Education (GPE) partner countries have ratified or acceded to the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (GPE 2023e) and the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and many are signatories of the Global Compact on Refugees (UN General Assembly 2018) as well as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UN General Assembly 1966), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN General Assembly 1989), and the Convention against Discrimination in Education (UNESCO 1960), all of which stipulate the provision of free primary education for all children, and the availability and accessibility of secondary education. As such, it is the responsibility of country governments, as the primary duty-bearers of these rights, to ensure every young person has access to quality education without discrimination or exclusion. GPE remains steadfast in its commitment to this principle as articulated in its 2025 strategic plan (GPE 2022) and the 2023 working paper “Leaving No One Behind: Transforming Education Systems, Equitably and Inclusively” (GPE 2023e). GPE’s strategic plan focuses on improving learning, gender equality and inclusion for the most marginalized children, including children affected by crises or displacement and children with disabilities (GPE 2022). The “Leaving No One Behind” paper advises how countries can navigate the complex terrain of education reform, with a keen focus on enhancing both access to education and the quality of teaching and learning. A focus on both access and quality ensures all young people not only enter the education system but also transition and ultimately complete their schooling. This necessitates a dual strategy of implementing systemwide policy reforms alongside targeted interventions, with a particular emphasis on addressing the needs of the most marginalized or vulnerable populations. By placing gender equality and inclusion atthe heart of policy planning efforts, GPE endeavors to transform education systems worldwide, striving toward a future where every child and adolescent can fulfill their potential through education. Building on the “Leaving No One Behind” paper, this background research paper synthesizes some of the existing evidence on what works—and where possible, costeffective approaches—to im

FAQs

What is the main purpose of this GPE background research paper?

It synthesizes existing evidence on what works to improve access and completion for marginalized children and youth, including cost-effective approaches and where evidence is strongest or missing.

How does the paper define the challenge of marginalization in education?

It uses an intersectional approach, describing learners at greatest risk of exclusion as those with multiple overlapping vulnerabilities across different contexts.

What strategy does the paper emphasize for improving access and completion?

It recommends combining systemwide policy reforms with targeted interventions, focusing on enabling factors that support both entry into education and eventual completion of schooling.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Aria Callaghan