San Francisco, USA/Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire 31 March 2026 — The Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) and the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) are pleased to announce Dr. Samira Agoro as the recipient of the 2026 Rebecca H. Rhodes African Inclusive Literacy Research Prize. Her selection followed a rigorous review by an independent selection committee, which assessed nearly 100 applications submitted from across the African continent — the largest pool received since the prize's inaugural year in 2024.

Dr. Agoro is a Research Scientist at the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique in Togo and holds a doctorate in Education Sciences from the Université de Lomé. Her award-winning proposal — "Adapted Pedagogical Strategies for Literacy Learning Among Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children in Mainstream Schools in Togo: A Participatory Action Research Study" — was recognised for both the critical importance of its subject matter and the rigour and practicality of its research design.

The selection committee highlighted that literacy learning for deaf and hard-of-hearing children in mainstream classrooms in Togo remains a deeply under-researched area, and that Dr. Agoro's proposal addresses this gap with methodological depth and real-world urgency. Her participatory action research approach involves the co-construction of concrete pedagogical materials with teachers and students, and is directly aligned with Togo's national inclusive education policy framework — the Schéma National de l'Éducation Inclusive 2025–2030 — ensuring that her findings will be immediately applicable to the country's education system.

The prize will enable Dr. Agoro to conduct fieldwork across the Savanes and Kara regions of Togo, develop inclusive pedagogy resources, and produce a practical guide for itinerant teachers for immediate use in Togo's education system. Her findings will contribute to the growing evidence base on inclusive literacy for deaf and hard-of-hearing learners in West Africa and beyond.

The selection committee also extends an honourable mention to Dr. Pamela Karambu Muriungi, Senior Lecturer and Dean at Machakos University, Kenya, for her proposal "Digital Learning and Early Grade Literacy Development for Learners with Visual Impairment in Kenya." Dr. Muriungi's submission was among the strongest in an exceptionally competitive field, and the committee commends her important contribution to inclusive literacy research.

The 2026 prize cycle received nearly 100 appliations — the largest pool to date since the prize's inception in 2024, in honour of the memory of inclusive literacy advocate Rebecca Rhodes. The strength and diversity of submissions reflect a growing community of African researchers committed to advancing literacy for learners who are too often left behind. ADEA and CIES look forward to continuing to support this work through the annual prize.

ADEA and CIES extend their sincere gratitude to the prize's founding sponsors: the CIES Special Interest Groups for Inclusive Education, Africa, and Global Literacy; Chemonics International; FHI 360; RTI International; the Basic Education Coalition; Inclusive Development Partners; Save the Children; and the generous community of individual donors who make this prize possible.

To donate, or to learn more about the prize and the legacy of Rebecca H. Rhodes, please visit the CIES website.