UNESCO World Education Report 2026 highlights global equity challenges

The German version of the UNESCO World Education Report 2026, titled ‘Access and Opportunity,’ was presented in Berlin. The report highlights that educational equity remains a major global challenge, noting that 273 million children and adolescents worldwide are currently out of school. While significant progress was made in previous decades, the pace of improvement has recently slowed.

The report is the first in a three-part series titled ‘Countdown to 2030,’ which will subsequently address ‘Quality and Learning’ (2027) and ‘Relevance’ (2028/29). UNESCO emphasizes that long-term investments in education policy and targeted support for disadvantaged groups are essential to improving global access and success. Serap Güler, State Minister at the Federal Foreign Office, stated that education is a human right and a prerequisite for social participation, calling for strong international cooperation to prevent existing inequalities from worsening during times of crisis and conflict.