It’s one thing to enroll children into schools; it’s another to listen to them. Too often, education for underserved children is approached as a one-way street: adults provide access, resources, and structure, while children are expected to simply follow along. But when we pause to listen, we discover that children themselves can be some of the most insightful voices in shaping their own learning journey.

At FlexiSAF Foundation, our Accelerated Learning (AccLearn) beneficiaries recently reminded us of this truth in a powerful way.

A Transition, A Conversation

As part of our program, we had planned to transition our learners into conventional schools. We initially identified schools that were very close to their homes, thinking proximity would be the most practical and beneficial factor.

But in our conversations with the children, they surprised us. They recommended a different school, still nearby, but not the one we had chosen. Instead of dismissing their idea, we asked why.

The Reasons That Inspired Us

Their reasons reflected the deep impact that learning has already had on them. They explained that they had observed the difference between their peers in both schools. The children in the school they recommended were learning more, progressing faster, and showing greater transformation.

For them, choosing that school wasn’t about convenience or popularity. It was about learning. Their biggest concern was simple but profound: “We want to remain in school and continue learning.”

Lessons We’re Learning

This moment reminded us of three important lessons:

1.Education is not passive – children are active participants, not just beneficiaries.

2.Listening matters – when we take children’s voices seriously, we uncover insights that improve our programs.

3.Impact is measured in growth, not just numbers – the fact that these children could evaluate schools based on learning outcomes shows how far they’ve come.

Moving Forward Together

For us at FlexiSAF Foundation, this experience was a reminder that education is more than enrollment figures. It is about ensuring children can thrive in school, stay motivated, and make choices that keep their learning alive. Sometimes, those choices come directly from the children themselves.

As we continue our mission to provide access to quality education for out-of-school children, we carry this lesson with us: to build sustainable impact, we must not only teach children, we must also learn from them.

Written by 
Haleema Abubakar