Out-of-school children rise to 273m globally — UNESCO

Out-of-school children rise to 273m globally — UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has revealed that the number of children and young people out of school worldwide has risen to 273 million.

According to the 2026 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) report, the figure has increased for the seventh consecutive year, with one in every six school-age children currently excluded from education.

The report also noted that only two out of three learners complete secondary school.

UNESCO stated that progress in keeping children in school has slowed across most regions since 2015, with conflict and population growth identified as key drivers of the setback.

Sub-Saharan Africa was highlighted as one of the regions most affected.

The report further explained that the situation is more severe in conflict zones, where millions of children remain out of school beyond official estimates.

Despite the challenges, UNESCO pointed to notable gains recorded over the past two decades.

Global enrolment has increased significantly, with more than 25 additional children entering school every minute since 2000.

It also observed that some countries have achieved remarkable progress by reducing out-of-school rates and expanding access across all levels of education.

However, UNESCO warned that no single policy can address the crisis, urging tailored strategies and sustained investment to ensure every child has access to learning.