UNESCO: Global Goal of Universal Education by 2030 Slipping Out of Reach

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10/04/26 • 18 Просмотры • 0 Поделиться • Опубликовано в Другой

New report warns millions of children remain out of school despite progress in global enrolment.

A new report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has raised alarm that the world is unlikely to achieve its ambitious goal of universal education by 2030, as hundreds of millions of children and young people remain outside the classroom.

The warning was contained in the 2026 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, unveiled at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The report evaluates global progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4)—which aims to ensure inclusive and quality education for all by the end of the decade.

According to the findings, about 272 million children, adolescents, and youths worldwide are currently out of school, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing governments and education stakeholders globally.

UNESCO noted that while global education access has expanded significantly over the past two decades, progress has slowed in recent years. Since 2015, the number of out-of-school children has been rising steadily, marking the seventh consecutive year of increase.

The report explained that earlier global education initiatives set increasingly ambitious goals—first universal access to primary education, then universal completion of primary school, and later universal secondary education. However, the pace of improvements in education systems has struggled to keep up with these expanding targets.

Despite the troubling outlook, UNESCO stressed that global progress should not be overlooked. Today, about 1.4 billion students are enrolled in schools worldwide, representing roughly 327 million more learners than in 2000.

Enrolment growth has been particularly noticeable in early childhood education and higher education, where participation has risen dramatically over the past two decades. However, persistent inequalities continue to hinder progress, especially in low-income and conflict-affected regions where many children start school late, repeat grades, or drop out entirely.

The report also warns that, at the current pace, achieving near-universal completion of upper secondary education could take until 2105, far beyond the 2030 deadline originally set by the global community.

Commenting on the findings, UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany described the trend as worrying but emphasised that progress remains possible if governments intensify investment and reforms in education systems worldwide.

Education experts say the report serves as a critical reminder that without stronger policies, increased funding, and targeted support for disadvantaged communities, millions of children could remain locked out of education for generations to come.

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