UNESCO: 273 Million Children Out of School Worldwide, Progress Slows

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has reported that 273 million children and young people are out of school globally, marking the seventh consecutive year of rising numbers, according to its 2026 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) report.

The report reveals that one in six school-age children remain excluded from education, while only two-thirds complete secondary school. Progress has decelerated in most regions since 2015, driven largely by conflict and population growth.

“Progress in keeping children in school has slowed across almost every region,” UNESCO noted, pointing to sub-Saharan Africa as particularly affected. In conflict-affected areas, the reality is even more severe, with millions more children out of school than captured by official statistics.

Nonetheless, the report underscores two decades of gains in global enrolment, with “more than 25 additional children accessing school every minute” since 2000. Several countries have successfully reduced out-of-school rates and broadened access to all education levels.

UNESCO cautioned that no single policy can resolve education exclusion and called for targeted strategies and sustained investment to ensure every child has the opportunity to learn.

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