272 million kids worldwide are out of school, says latest Unesco data
A new report by UNESCO's Global Education Monitoring team reveals that over 272 million children worldwide are currently out of school—a sharp increase of more than 21 million from previous estimates.The surge is driven by updated enrollment data, population projections, and factors like the ongoing ban on girls' education in Afghanistan. With countries projected to fall short of their national education targets of 75 million students by 2025, the report warns that global efforts to achieve universal education are significantly off track.advertisementThe rise in numbers is attributed to two major factors. First, new enrolment and attendance data, including the 2021 school ban on Afghan girls, accounts for about eight million of the increase. Second, revised UN population projections add another 13 million, owing to a larger-than-anticipated school-age population—especially those between 6 to 17 years old—in 2025.
The GEM team explains that the sources of data significantly influence the estimates. When enrolment is based solely on administrative records, the population increase is fully reflected in the out-of-school figures, particularly in countries with no updated data.On the other hand, countries using survey-based data see a more balanced distribution of new population figures between enrolled and unenrolled groups.The report estimates that:11% of children at the primary school age (78 million)15% of lower secondary age adolescents (64 million)advertisement31% of upper secondary age youth (130 million)remain out of school globally.These estimates stem from a model that combines administrative data, household surveys, and census results to produce consistent global and regional education trends. However, the report notes that national figures may differ, as they are typically based on a single source from a specific year, while the model imputes data for missing years and provides short-term projections.A concerning element highlighted in the report is the underestimated impact of conflicts on education. In crisis zones, education data is often unavailable or outdated, leading to gaps in understanding the true scale of disruption. The model's assumption of steady educational progression becomes a limitation during such emergencies.Even though projections suggest that the global out-of-school population could drop by 165 million by 2030 if countries meet their Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) targets, the report warns of a potential four to six percentage point shortfall by 2025, especially among primary, lower, and upper secondary school-age groups.UNESCO calls for more resilient data systems and urgent policy action to address the growing education crisis, particularly in conflict-affected and low-resource regions.(With PTI inputs)Must Watch
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India.com
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- India.com
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According to SDR, 'The Pact calls for 56 actions related to SDG implementation, peace, and collective security, including the transformation of the multilateral system and reform of the international financial architecture (United Nations 2024).' (1) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2016) 1. The Sustainable Development Goals were first proposed in 1972 by a global think tank called the 'Club of Rome'. 2. The Sustainable Development Goals have to be achieved by 2030. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (2) Sustainable development is described as the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In this perspective, inherently the concept of sustainable development is intertwined with which of the following concepts? (UPSC CSE 2010) (a) Social justice and empowerment (b) Inclusive Growth (c) Globalization (d) Carrying capacity (Source: Humanity's success lies in our collective strength, not in the battlefield: PM Modi at Summit of the Future at UN, UN Sustainable Development Goals Index 2025) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
