Stephen Ikonya

Bold Question: What if inclusive education systems were designed with—and not just for—children with disabilities and their caregivers?

Pathway to Metis: Stephen is a seasoned development practitioner with over 15 years of experience in the NGO sector, driving inclusive education programs that combine policy influence, EdTech innovation, and rights-based advocacy. As the Director of Programs and Policy at The Action Foundation (TAF), he is committed to ensuring that children with disabilities, particularly those from underserved communities, access quality foundational literacy and numeracy.

He has co-developed and scaled innovative models such as the Inclusive Early Learning Toolkit (IELT) a resource for home-based learning for children with disabilities and the Adaptive Inclusive Learning Hubs (AILH), which bring play-based, learner-centered, and inclusive approaches into early learning centers. His work also supports the development of an inclusive STEM platform, expanding access to science and technology for learners with diverse needs across the country.

Stephen’s approach is rooted in human-centered design, Universal Design for Learning, and participatory action research, with strong emphasis on caregiver engagement and systems strengthening. He works across sectors to build the capacity of duty bearers and influence public systems to be more responsive, equitable, and sustainable.

Through the Metis Fellowship, Stephen aims to sharpen his leadership in scaling inclusive innovations, strategic storytelling, and cross-sector collaboration, while co-creating solutions with fellow education innovators who are transforming learning across Africa.

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