The number of children and young people out of school worldwide has climbed to 273 million, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has said.

UNESCO, in the 2026 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) report, stated that the number of out-of-school children and young people has climbed for the seventh consecutive year.

The report finds that one in six school-age children are excluded from education, while only two in three complete secondary school.

Progress has also slowed across most regions since 2015, with conflict and population growth among the main drivers.

“Progress in keeping children in school has slowed across almost every region,” the report notes, with sub-Saharan Africa particularly affected.

In conflict zones, the situation is even more acute, with millions more children out of school than official figures capture.

In spite of these setbacks, UNESCO highlighted significant gains over the past two decades.

Global enrolment has risen sharply, with “more than 25 additional children accessing school every minute” since the year 2000.

The report also finds some countries have made remarkable progress, slashing out-of-school rates and expanding access to all levels of education.

However, the report cautions that no single policy can tackle exclusion.

It urges tailored approaches and sustained investment to ensure all children can learn. 

(NAN)