{"id":29954,"date":"2026-03-26T07:38:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T05:38:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/?post_type=news&#038;p=29954"},"modified":"2026-03-26T07:38:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T05:38:17","slug":"global-out-of-school-numbers-rise-for-seventh-year-unesco","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/news\/global-out-of-school-numbers-rise-for-seventh-year-unesco\/","title":{"rendered":"Global out\u2011of\u2011school numbers rise for seventh year: UNESCO"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p><span data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">The UN agency warns that one in six school\u2011age children is now excluded from education, while only two in three complete secondary school.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>The report highlights a worrying slowdown in global progress since 2015, with conflict, demographic pressures and economic instability among the main drivers of the setback. Sub\u2011Saharan Africa remains the most affected region, with rapid population growth and protracted crises pushing millions of learners out of classrooms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\u201cProgress in keeping children in school has slowed across almost every region,\u201d the report states. In conflict zones, the impact is even more severe. UNESCO cautioned that official statistics underestimate the true scale of disruption, as many children displaced by violence are not captured in national data systems.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Despite the setbacks, the GEM Report notes that significant gains have been made over the last two decades. Since 2000, global enrolment has expanded dramatically, with \u201cmore than 25 additional children accessing school every minute\u201d. Several countries have achieved notable successes in reducing out\u2011of\u2011school rates and widening access to early childhood, primary and secondary education.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>However, UNESCO warns that these gains risk being reversed without urgent action. The report emphasises that no single policy can address the diverse causes of educational exclusion. Instead, it calls for a combination of targeted interventions, from strengthened social protection and inclusive schooling policies to improved funding and conflict\u2011sensitive education planning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>The agency also stresses the need for long\u2011term investment to ensure that all children not only attend school but have access to quality learning. \u201cEducation systems must adapt to increasingly complex global challenges,\u201d the report concludes, urging governments and donors to step up support.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>With conflict expanding in regions such as the Middle East and the Horn of Africa and economic pressures mounting worldwide, UNESCO says that safeguarding the right to education will require renewed political commitment and sustained resources.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>&#8211;UN\/ChannelAfrica&#8211;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":29955,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"news-type":[26],"class_list":["post-29954","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-general_news","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"The number of children and young people out of school has risen for the seventh consecutive year, reaching 273 million worldwide, according to the United Nations (UN) Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation\u2019s (UNESCO) 2026 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report. \r\n\r\n ","published_date":"","news_description":"The number of children and young people out of school has risen for the seventh consecutive year, reaching 273 million worldwide, according to the United Nations (UN) Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation\u2019s (UNESCO) 2026 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report.    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