More than 7 million refugee children are currently out of school.
By 2030, the global economy will be cost an estimated US$10 trillion a year to the global economy due to out-of-school and under-education, more than the combined annual gross domestic product of France and Japan, according to a new report released today by UNESCO. To this end, UNESCO calls on countries to end the vicious cycle of out-of-school as soon as possible and to take action to achieve the goal of quality education for all.
In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declared education a "universal human right". In 2015, the United Nations reaffirmed this right by setting "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all" as Sustainable Development Goal 4.
Yet, despite decades of improved access to education, 250 million children and adolescents worldwide are still out of school, and 70 per cent of 10-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries cannot understand simple written words.
Economic and social costs
In the report, The Cost of Inaction: The Personal, Financial and Social Costs of Out-of-School Children and Adolescents, released on Monday, UNESCO analysed for the first time the economic and social consequences of inadequate education. The report estimates that a 10 per cent reduction in the proportion of young people who drop out of school prematurely or lack basic skills could increase a country's GDP growth by 1 to 2 per cent per year.
The report also notes that each additional year of secondary education for girls helps to reduce the risk of marriage before the age of 18. Worldwide, adolescent girls' lack of basic skills learning is one of the reasons for a 69 per cent increase in early pregnancy rates.
The Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, stressed that the message of the report is clear: education is a strategic investment, one of the best investments for individuals, economies and society as a whole. At the same time, she strongly appealed to Member States to implement the universal right to education for everyone as soon as possible.
Deliver on the promise of transforming education
In September 2022, 141 countries pledged to accelerate progress towards SDG 4 at the Transforming Education Summit at the United Nations Headquarters in New York: 8 in 10 countries committed to advancing teacher training and professional development, 7 in 10 pledged to increase or improve investment in education, and 1 in 4 pledged to increase financial support and school feeding.
At a meeting of education ministers at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris on Monday, Audrey reiterated his call on the organization's 194 member states to "honour their commitment to transform education from a privilege into a right for every person in the world". She also noted that education is an important resource for poverty alleviation and the fight against challenges such as climate imbalance.
Achieve quality education for all
To achieve the goal of quality education for all, UNESCO also makes 10 recommendations in the report. The first is that governments should ensure that every girl and boy has access to at least 12 years of compulsory education, funded by public funds.
The report also recommends that governments should invest in early childhood education, laying the foundation for learning as early as possible and eliminating inequalities, alongside compulsory education. Programmes should also be put in place to provide a "second chance" for adolescents who are unable to access quality education or who have dropped out of school.
To create safe and inclusive learning environments, UNESCO calls for reducing the distance between children's homes and schools, especially in disadvantaged areas, and installing water and sanitation facilities in all schools; At the same time, class sizes should be reduced and taught by qualified and motivated teachers; And teachers should treat all students equally, with a focus on gender equality.
On the other hand, UNESCO encourages governments to take measures to raise awareness among local communities and families of the importance of girls and boys completing the entire education cycle, and to involve parents in school activities and management.
