Around 12 million children may never see a classroom UN data reveals

World 11:29 14.09.2019

United Nations cultural agency published new data on Friday, reveals that without taking urgent measures, around 12 million young children will never set foot inside a school, with girls facing "the greatest barriers".

"According to our projections, nine million girls of primary school age will never start school or set foot in a classroom, compared to about three million boys", said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO.

Updated information on the world’s out-of-school children from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, UIS, shows little or no progress has been seen in more than a decade.

"Four of those nine million girls live in sub-Saharan Africa, where the situation gives cause for even greater concern", Azoulay continued. "We must therefore continue to centre our actions on girls’ and women’s education, as an utmost priority."

Last year, roughly 258 million children, adolescents and youth between the ages of six and 17 were out of school. This new data paints a clear picture of the difficulties ahead in achieving inclusive quality education for all, one of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, set by the international community for 2030.

It also confirms recent UNESCO projections showing that at the present rate, by 2030, one-in-six children will not be attending primary and secondary school at all, and only six in every ten young people will complete secondary education.

The update also highlights the gap between the world’s richest and poorest countries. According to UIS figures, 19 percent of six-to-11-year olds in low-income countries are out of school, compared to just two percent in high-income states.

And the gap grows wider still for older children and youth, where some 61 percent of those aged 15-17 are out of school in low-income countries, compared to eight percent in their high-income counterparts.

"We have just 11 years to make good on the promise that every child will be in school and learning", UIS Director Silvia Montoya asserted. "Yet the new data shows us an unchanging and persistent picture of poor access and quality, year after year."

But Montoya also flagged that "these challenges are not inevitable."

"They can be overcome by a combination of intensive action and greater funding", she maintained. "We need real commitment from every single government, backed by resources, to get the job done."

The new insight by UIS, the custodian of SDG 4 data, was released a week before the General Assembly meets in New York to examine progress towards the Global Goals and discuss the funding needed to achieve them.

IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

UNRWA calls for immediate fuel delivery to Israel-blockaded Gaza before shutdown of basic services
21:45 05.07.2025
Pashinyan: Armenia needs new constitution
21:20 05.07.2025
UN chief condemns Russia's recent 'series of large-scale' attacks on Ukraine
21:00 05.07.2025
Kazakh servicemen arrive in Azerbaijan to participate in Tarlan - 2025 exercise
20:45 05.07.2025
Erdogan: US has crucial role in achieving ceasefire in Gaza
20:20 05.07.2025
Building collapse in Pakistan kills 15
19:45 05.07.2025
Turkish FM Fidan to attend 17th BRICS Leaders Summit in Rio de Janeiro
19:30 05.07.2025
Australia pledges $283M for green energy project by explosives maker
19:10 05.07.2025
OPEC+ speeds up oil output hikes, adds 548,000 bpd in August
18:45 05.07.2025
Inter completes signing of Ange-Yoan Bonny from Parma
18:20 05.07.2025
Turkish president sees Zangazur corridor 'as part of the geoeconomic revolution'
18:00 05.07.2025
Turkish president urges Azerbaijan, Russia to show restrain amid tension
17:45 05.07.2025
China says war 'not a solution' to Iranian nuclear issue
17:15 05.07.2025
At least 18 people injured after fire alert on Ryanair plane in Majorca as passengers abandon jet & leap from wing
17:00 05.07.2025
Azerbaijani PM meets with UNESCAP executive secretary
16:45 05.07.2025
Lebanese president affirms coordination with Syria, warns against sectarian tensions
16:15 05.07.2025
21 killed in Israeli strikes on tents, school-turned-shelters in Gaza Strip
16:00 05.07.2025
Turkish construction sector takes on international projects worth $6.2B in first half of 2025
15:45 05.07.2025
Azerbaijani woman wrestler becomes European champion
15:30 05.07.2025
Mayor: Death toll in Russian attacks on Kyiv reached two
15:15 05.07.2025
Texas floods kill 24 people and leave many missing from girls' summer camp
14:45 05.07.2025
Conor McGregor has interest in White House fight after Trump's UFC idea
14:30 05.07.2025
Netanyahu era sees 40% surge in Israeli settlements in occupied West Bank
14:15 05.07.2025
Equatorial Guinea sues France in UN court to block sale of Paris mansion
14:00 05.07.2025
US president 'disappointed' over phone call with Putin
13:45 05.07.2025
Academy of Azerbaijan`s State Security Service hosts graduation ceremony
13:30 05.07.2025
Azerbaijan and Pakistan ink memo in Khankendi
13:15 05.07.2025
Trump says there could be Gaza deal next week
13:00 05.07.2025
First flight from Türkiye to Syria launched
12:45 05.07.2025
US marks its 249th anniversary of independence
12:30 05.07.2025
Azerbaijan's role in regional integration discussed at London conference
12:00 05.07.2025
Uzbek Minister: Mirziyoyev's visit to Azerbaijan crucial for dev’t of transport links
11:45 05.07.2025
Trump says US will start talks with China on TikTok deal this week
11:30 05.07.2025
Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif concludes visit to Azerbaijan
11:15 05.07.2025
Pakistani premier proposes low-emissions corridor at Economic Cooperation Organization summit
11:00 05.07.2025
Rwanda pledges to deliver on its part of US-brokered peace deal with DR Congo
10:45 05.07.2025
Hezbollah rejects calls to disarm before end of Israeli ‘aggression’ against Lebanon
10:30 05.07.2025
Trump says Gaza ceasefire deal may come next week after ‘positive’ Hamas response
10:15 05.07.2025
Taiwan's ruling party launches campaign to oust opposition lawmakers
10:00 05.07.2025
EU says situation around GHF food distribution centers in Gaza 'untenable'
21:30 04.07.2025
Hamısı