Urgent Call for Global Educational Equity Amidst Stagnant Enrollment Rates

UNESCO has issued a clarion call for immediate action to address the vast number of children and youth who remain out of school, despite decades of advancement in global education. A recent report reveals that 251 million children and young people worldwide are still not enrolled in educational institutions, highlighting the pressing need for reforms to ensure equitable access to quality education.

At the World Education Meeting, UNESCO stressed that education forms the foundation of prosperous, inclusive, and peaceful societies. Without decisive intervention, quality education risks becoming an exclusive privilege. Findings from UNESCO's Global Education Monitoring Report show that since the adoption of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal for education in 2015, only 110 million additional children and youth have gained access to schooling. While secondary school completion rates have seen gains, with 40 million more young people finishing their studies compared to 2015, the overall rate of out-of-school children has only decreased by 1% during this period.

Educational access disparities remain stark; 33% of school-age children in low-income countries are not enrolled, compared to just 3% in high-income nations. More than half of the world's out-of-school youth reside in Sub-Saharan Africa, underscoring significant regional inequalities.

A critical barrier to achieving universal education is insufficient funding. The 2024 Education Financing Report, released alongside the Global Education Monitoring Report, indicates that 40% of countries allocate less than 15% of their total public expenditure to education, and less than 4% of their GDP, key benchmarks for sustainable investment. The funding gap is especially wide; in 2022, low- and middle-income countries spent only $55 per learner, while high-income countries invested $8,543 per learner.

The report also highlights the rising impact of debt on education budgets. In 2022, African nations allocated nearly as much to debt repayment as to education. Additionally, public development assistance for education has dropped from 9.3% in 2019 to 7.6% in 2022, worsening the funding crisis.

To tackle these challenges, UNESCO advocates for strengthened international solidarity through innovative financing methods such as debt-for-education swaps. Recent bilateral initiatives have paved the way for wider action, with UNESCO urging countries to establish a multilateral platform to convert debt into sustainable educational investments. This platform could provide essential relief for nations burdened by debt while expanding educational opportunities.

The World Education Meeting, held by UNESCO in Fortaleza, Brazil (October 31 - November 1), is among the largest international conferences focused on education and the fourth such event since 2018 assessing progress toward global educational goals. Following the G20 Education Ministers’ meeting, this year’s conference centers on equity and inclusion, priorities aligned with Brazil’s G20 presidency.

Brazil’s commitment to an inclusive approach to education seeks to bridge socio-economic disparities and celebrate cultural diversity. The expected Fortaleza Declaration will call upon ministers from over 40 countries to utilize education as a tool for creating a fairer, sustainable future, promoting contemporary topics like climate education, peace studies, and gender equality in curricula.

As the world approaches the final six years to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, transformative actions are urgently needed to make quality education accessible to all. The World Education Meeting offers a pivotal platform for global leaders to commit to advancing educational equity, ensuring every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive.