Globalmatters.org

Over 600 million children and adolescents worldwide are unable to achieve the minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics, even though over 66% of them are in school. For out-of-school children, foundational skills in literacy and numeracy also present major problems.

The learning crisis is defined as the difference between the levels of learning children receive and those they, their communities and entire economies need . This hit a global scale even before the COVID-19 pandemic brought education systems to a stop.

Globally, children are being deprived of education and learning for various reasons. One of the most obstinate barriers is attributed to poverty. Other factors include economic fragility, political instability, conflict or natural disasters ,those children with disabilities, or from ethnic minorities. In some countries, education opportunities for girls remain severely limited or non-existent .

Furthermore, there is a lack of trained teachers, inadequate education materials and poor infrastructure are making learning very difficult for many students. Other children arrive for class too hungry, ill or exhausted from work or household tasks to receive significant benefit from their lessons.

(Adapted from Education | UNICEF )

Further information/reading : Education | UNICEF , Education Statistics – UNICEF DATA , World Data on Education | International Bureau of Education (unesco.org) , SDG Goal 4: Quality Education – UNICEF DATA