The number of children and young people out of school globally has risen to 273 million, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.

According to UNESCO’s 2026 Global Education Monitoring Report, which was released on Wednesday, the number of out-of-school children and young adults has increased for the seventh year running.

According to the research, one in every six school-age children is excluded from education, with only two out of every three completing high school.

Since 2015, progress has stalled in most regions, with conflict and population increase highlighted as key causes.

“Progress in keeping children in school has slowed across almost every region,” the report noted, with sub-Saharan Africa particularly affected.

In conflict zones, the situation is far worse, with millions more children out of school than official statistics show.

Despite these setbacks, UNESCO noted tremendous progress over the last two decades.

Global enrollment has increased drastically, with “more than 25 additional children accessing school every minute” since 2000.

The survey also discovered that certain countries have achieved tremendous success in lowering out-of-school rates and increasing access to all levels of education.

However, the paper noted that no single policy can address exclusion.

It emphasized individualized approaches and ongoing investment to ensure that all children can learn.