Alternative digital secondary education for marginalized, out-of-school youth in low- and middle-income countries: Protocol for a scoping review of intervention models, outcomes, and implementation challenges

Background: Globally, 272 million children and youth were out of school in 2023, nearly half of whom are of secondary school age. Disparities disproportionately affect girls, displaced populations, and rural communities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Digital technologies are increasingly promoted as alternative pathways to re-engage out-of-school youth in secondary education. However, evidence on intervention models, outcomes, and implementation challenges remains fragmented, with no comprehensive synthesis to inform policy and practice. Objective: This scoping review protocol aims to systematically map the available evidence on intervention models, outcomes, and implementation challenges of alternative digital secondary education for marginalized, out-of-school youth in LMICs. Materials and methods: This review will follow Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines. The protocol is registered on the Open Science Framework https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/5SRUD. A comprehensive search will be conducted across education, multidisciplinary, health, and regional databases, supplemented by grey literature from international organizations and preprint repositories. Eligible sources include empirical studies, program evaluations, policy documents, and reviews published from 2010 onwards – with no language restrictions, focusing on alternative digital secondary education for marginalized youth aged 13–24 years in LMICs. Two reviewers will independently screen studies and extract data using a standardized form, with a sample verified by a second reviewer. Findings will be synthesized using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis to identify patterns in intervention models, outcomes, implementation factors, and equity considerations. Conclusion: This review will provide the first comprehensive mapping of alternative digital secondary education for marginalized youth in LMICs, synthesizing fragmented evidence across sectors. Findings will inform evidence-based investments – guiding decisions on low-tech versus high-tech approaches, targeting of underserved populations, and priority areas for future evaluation. All data will be made publicly available on OSF. Protocol OSF Registration DOI https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/E8RZ3.