The 2026 UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report reveals that 273 million children and young people remain out of school. The numbers have worsened for seven consecutive years, but the report also presents reasons for hope β and a stark warning that 2030 is the last chance.
As of 2024, 273 million children, adolescents, and youth worldwide are not in school. The 2026 UNESCO GEM Report warns of a reversal in education access and introduces new policy benchmarks to close the gap.
On March 25, 2026, UNESCO released its Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, revealing that 273 million children, adolescents, and youth worldwide are out of school β roughly one in six. The SDG 4 goal of quality education for all by 2030 is now seriously at risk.