Secondary school completion for adolescent girls is shaped by a combination of social norms, institutional gaps, and economic pressures. While multiple programmes were in place, they often addressed parts of the problem in isolation.
There was limited articulation of how different factors interacted to influence dropout and re-entry. Coordination across stakeholders remained uneven, and efforts were not always aligned towards a shared outcome.
At an organisational level, there was a need to clarify how to operate as a systems actor. Existing approaches were strong at programme delivery but less oriented towards influencing institutions and enabling sustained change at scale.
The work began with a landscape analysis across the three states to understand the conditions shaping girls’ educational journeys. This included examining patterns of dropout, transitions between grades, and the role of household expectations, school systems, and local governance structures.
A systems thinking lens was used to map how these factors interacted. Rather than listing barriers, the analysis focused on relationships between actors and the points where interventions could influence outcomes. Stakeholder mapping was carried out across government departments, civil society organisations, school systems, and community institutions to identify roles and gaps in coordination.
This external analysis was complemented by a review of the organisation’s internal structures. Discussions with leadership and programme teams helped surface how decisions were being made, how programmes were structured, and where there were constraints in working across systems.
A revised Theory of Change was developed through a participatory process. It reflected both field realities and organisational priorities, and outlined pathways that linked community-level engagement with institutional shifts. System maps and visual tools were used to support shared understanding and internal alignment.
In parallel, the MEL framework was refined to better capture changes beyond immediate programme outputs. This included identifying indicators related to institutional responsiveness, behavioural shifts, and coordination across actors. An organisational assessment was also undertaken to identify areas where capabilities and processes would need strengthening to support the strategy.
The organisation arrived at a clearer and more structured strategy for addressing secondary school completion as a systems issue. The revised Theory of Change provided a practical framework to guide programme design and partnerships.
The work helped shift the focus from isolated interventions to coordinated pathways involving multiple actors. It clarified where the organisation could play a stronger role in influencing institutions and supporting convergence across stakeholders.
The updated MEL approach enabled better tracking of changes that matter for long-term outcomes. The organisational assessment also provided direction on strengthening internal processes to support the strategy.
