The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that drastic reductions in global education funding could force an additional six million children out of school by 2026.
The agency projects a significant shortfall in Official Development Assistance (ODA) for education, threatening to reverse progress and deepen the worldwide learning crisis.
According to its recent analysis, aid for education is expected to drop by $3.2 billion, a 24 per cent decrease from 2023 levels. This sharp decline is primarily driven by just three donor governments, which account for nearly 80 per cent of the anticipated cuts. The reduction in funds is expected to inflate the number of out-of-school children globally from an estimated 272 million to 278 million.
“Every dollar cut from education is not just a budgetary decision; it is a child’s future hanging in the balance,” stated UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. Investing in children’s education is one of the best investments in the future, for everyone. Countries do better when their children are educated and healthy, and it contributes to a more stable and prosperous world,” she added.
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