UN report: 93 million children out of school as conflicts, displacement and climate crises surge

A United Nations‑backed study by Education Cannot Wait reveals that 93 million children are completely out of school, while a total of 258 million school‑age children experience disrupted education worldwide. The report notes that 80 % of those out of school live in just 20 countries, with 74 million in the five most affected nations: Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Somalia.

Children displaced by conflict show lower promotion rates, slower progression and a higher likelihood of being over‑age for their grade. Girls, refugees and children with disabilities face disproportionate barriers, and a disabled adolescent in South Asia is 40 % more likely to be out of school than a non‑disabled peer. Reading proficiency is especially low, reaching only 30 % in conflict‑affected countries, compared with 47 % in socio‑economic crisis settings and 63 % where natural disasters dominate.

The authors stress that families still value education despite hardships, and quote the programme director: “Support for education in crises is the insurance policy families, governments and donors need to protect long‑term investments in schooling and economic opportunity.”