Secondary Education at a Crossroads: Skills, Gender, and the Future of Work

​Secondary education sits at the centre of one of the biggest unresolved challenges in global development. In most countries, secondary schooling still operates as an academic pipeline disconnected from labour market realities, leaving adolescents - especially girls - without clear pathways into skills, livelihoods, or further learning. As economies across the Global South evolve, the question is no longer simply about expanding access to schooling, but about redesigning secondary education to deliver relevant skills, agency, and opportunity.

​This session will explore how countries are beginning to bridge this gap, with a focus on lessons emerging from India and across Africa. Bringing together funding partners, policy advocates, academics, and on-ground practitioners, the discussion will examine how skill education, gender inclusion, and system-level reform can work together to create stronger school-to-work pathways.

​By comparing experiences across regions - from vocational integration in secondary schools to investments that expand opportunities for girls - the session will surface practical insights for building secondary education systems that are more inclusive, economically relevant, and scalable.