The number of children and young people out of school worldwide has risen to 273 million, marking the seventh consecutive year of increase, according to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The findings are detailed in UNESCO’s 2026 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, which highlights that one in six school-age children remain excluded from education, while only two-thirds complete secondary school.

The report points to slowing progress across most regions since 2015, driven largely by conflict and population growth. Sub-Saharan Africa is particularly affected, and in conflict zones, the number of out-of-school children is even higher than official estimates suggest.

Despite these setbacks, UNESCO emphasized that global enrolment has risen sharply over the past two decades, noting that more than 25 additional children have accessed school every minute since 2000. Some countries have also made remarkable progress, significantly reducing out-of-school rates and expanding access at all levels of education.

UNESCO cautioned, however, that no single policy can address exclusion the report urges tailored approaches and sustained investment** to ensure that all children have the opportunity to learn.