ALU PRIZE
for Innovation in
African Schools
Celebrating schools that are powering the future of Africa
The search for Africa’s most innovative schools
The ALU Prize for Innovation in African Schools was founded to recognise truly exceptional schools that are forging new paths in education.
Schools are the beating heart of Africa’s future, empowering the next generation to solve challenges in their communities, use new technologies to help others, and create environmental benefits far and wide. By nurturing leadership, creativity, and problem-solving skills today, schools are shaping the leaders and innovators of tomorrow. From the largest urban secondary school to the smallest village primary, all African schools have it within their power to harness creativity and improve learning – if they have the right examples to follow.
Along the way, we hope to discover bold and entrepreneurial ideas that will help shape bright futures across our continent – while encouraging Africa’s next generation to be active co-creators of solutions.
As ALU celebrates a decade of teaching tomorrow’s ethical entrepreneurs, we take a new step on our journey by honouring and rewarding schools whose dreams could transform Africa for the better.
2026 Prize Applications
Now Open!
Apply now to enter your school for the 2026 ALU Prize for Innovation in African Schools.
To enter, schools must complete an application form, sharing information about their school and showcasing the innovative solutions they have developed. Videos and pictures can also be submitted to show the initiative in action and highlight its impact.
Schools that reach later rounds of the competition will be given the opportunity to develop their initiatives in greater detail and present them in visual/video formats.
About the ALU Prize for Innovation in African Schools
The ALU Prize for Innovation in African Schools celebrates Africa’s most forward-thinking schools. It shines a spotlight on bold ideas that transform learning and empower the next generation of leaders. The prize honours creativity, entrepreneurship, inclusivity, and sustainability, highlighting schools that are reimagining education and making a lasting impact in their communities.
Applicants will first be selected for a Top 50 shortlist of schools that are demonstrating the most innovative approaches. They will have a chance to connect through peer learning, mentorship, and knowledge exchange to form a powerful network of innovators who inspire and support one another.
From the Top 50 shortlist, the Top 10 finalists will be selected. ALU’s Prize Academy will ultimately choose three schools to present their bold ideas in front of a live audience made up of prominent individuals from the worlds of education, technology, business, and the arts.
The winning school will receive grand prize funding and mentorship to scale their innovation. Two runner-up schools will receive seed funding and mentorship support.
At African Leadership University, we provide young people with higher education that helps them become the ethical, entrepreneurial leaders that our continent and planet need. Our role is to unlock that potential through a one-of-a-kind learning experience that gives students the foundation for a lifetime of leading positive change.
Students choose ALU because they want an institution that doesn’t limit their potential. Instead, we encourage our students to explore how to solve Africa’s most significant challenges in new ways. That’s why ALU is proud to have created the ALU Prize for Innovation in African Schools – to reward and celebrate schools that put creativity first.
About
ALU
ALU is Higher Education for a higher purpose.
