273 million children out of school in 2026 UNESCO report

The number of children and young people out of school worldwide has climbed for the seventh consecutive year, reaching 273 million, according to a new report from the UN education agency, UNESCO.

The organisation's 2026 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report finds that one in six school-age children is excluded from education, while only two in three complete secondary school. Progress has slowed across most regions since 2015, with conflict and population growth among the main drivers.

UNESCO noted that the issue is concerning in the Middle East more recently, adding that ongoing regional tensions "have forced many schools to close, leaving millions of children out of the classroom and at heightened risk of falling behind".

“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.

Despite 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.

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, urging tailored approaches and sustained investment to ensure all children can learn.