The scorecard includes assessments of out-of-school populations in the 10 countries experiencing the largest crises, suggesting a possible undercount of 13 million children and youth: UNESCO
Ahead of the 2030 SDG 4 targets, the global number of out-of-school children and youth reached 272 million in 2023, which is 21 million higher than previously estimated. This figure challenges the global commitment to reduce the out-of-school population by 165 million by 2030 under Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4).
In a press statement, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) says that the updated estimate stems from two key changes. As per the report, eight million of the increase comes from new enrolment and attendance data, including the ban on secondary school education for girls in Afghanistan. Additionally, thirteen million results from revised UN population projections, which show a 3 pc increase in the global school-age population.
It adds that for the first time, the scorecard includes assessments of out-of-school populations in the 10 countries experiencing the largest crises, suggesting a possible undercount of 13 million children and youth.
The statement says that a new policy paper released ahead of the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville warns that aid to education could fall by 25 pc between 2023 and 2027. Moreover, a previous estimate projected a 14 pc drop, but the updated data from the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) shows that education aid already declined by 12 pc in 2024.
The UN organisation says that the report notes that only one-fifth of education aid reaches low-income countries. The share of basic education within overall aid budgets is also declining. Currently, 60 pc of education aid is delivered through grants, but a shift towards loans is expected. This trend raises concerns, given the debt levels faced by many countries. The paper recommends directing more aid through national budgets, currently just 17 pc of bilateral aid is channelled this way and lowering borrowing costs for education financing.
UNESCO says that a second policy paper, developed in partnership with ‘Education Cannot Wait’, examines aid for education in emergencies and protracted crises (EiEPC). Using data from CRS, FTS, and IATI platforms, the paper finds that funding for such contexts is increasingly drawn from development aid sources rather than solely humanitarian channels.
The organisation says that in response to growing education needs in crisis-affected regions, the share of total aid allocated to EiEPC has risen from 9 pc in 2016 to 12 pc in 2023. The report recommends stronger collaboration between humanitarian and development actors to improve transparency and tracking of funding in such contexts.
As per statement, the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report Advisory Board met on June 6 at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris, which was chaired by Jutta Urpilainen. The board includes representatives from international and regional organisations, civil society, and the education sector. The meeting focussed on shaping future GEM reports and finalising the strategy for the 2025–2030 period within the current global environment.