In 2020, students across Sri Lanka lost up to 141 school days due to COVID19-related closures, with the number going up to 178 lost days in some regions. When schools reopened in August 2020, the provincial government rolled out the Learning Recovery Programme to minimise the learning gap between where the learner actually is and the grade…

In Jamaica, 85 per cent of children under the age of 15 experience different forms of violence in their homes, schools and communities. Since 2014, UNICEF has been supporting the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information to contextualise, pilot and scale up School-Wide Positive Behaviour Intervention and Support (SWPBIS) Framework  in all…

NEW YORK, 15 December 2020 –, “The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on children’s education around the globe. Vaccinating teachers is a critical step towards putting it back on track.  “At their peak in late April 2020, nationwide school closures disrupted the learning of almost 90 per cent of students worldwide. While that number has dropped since, there continues to be an…

The learning crisis the world is facing today has its roots in children’s earliest years, when failure to invest in quality early childhood education results in children starting school not ready to learn and succeed. Millions of children are entering education systems already behind in a host of critical skills they need to succeed in primary…

Education systems are complex. Getting all children in school and learning requires alignment across families, educators and decision makers. It requires shared goals, and national policies that put learning at the centre. It also requires data collection and regular monitoring to help policymakers identify what’s working, who’s benefiting, and…, Innovation in education, Innovation in education is about more than new technology. It’s about solving a real problem in a fresh, simple way to promote equity and improve learning. Innovation in education comes in many forms. Programmes, services, processes, products and partnerships can all enhance education outcomes in innovative ways – like customized games on solar-…, UNICEF’s work to strengthen education systems, UNICEF works with communities, schools and Governments to build strong, innovative education systems that enhance learning for all children. We support data collection and analysis to help Governments assess progress across a range of outcomes and strengthen national Education Management Information Systems. We also develop comprehensive…, More from UNICEF, Resources, Education Sector Analysis Guidelines: Volume 1 ( English , French , Spanish , Portuguese and Russian ), These guidelines support ministries of education and their partners in undergoing sector analysis and developing education sector plans. Education Sector Analysis Guidelines: Volume 2 ( English , French , Spanish , Portuguese and Russian ) These guidelines support ministries of education and their partners in undergoing sector analysis and…, This methodological paper measures foundational learning skills and parental involvement in education through household surveys.

An estimated 93 million children worldwide live with disabilities. Like all children, children with disabilities have ambitions and dreams for their futures. Like all children, they need quality education to develop their skills and realize their full potential. Yet, children with disabilities are often overlooked in policymaking, limiting their…, Getting all children in school and learning, Inclusive education is the most effective way to give all children a fair chance to go to school, learn and develop the skills they need to thrive. Inclusive education means all children in the same classrooms, in the same schools. It means real learning opportunities for groups who have traditionally been excluded – not only children with…, UNICEF’s work to promote inclusive education, To close the education gap for children with disabilities, UNICEF supports government efforts to foster and monitor inclusive education systems. Our work focuses on four key areas:, Advocacy, : UNICEF promotes inclusive education in discussions, high-level events and other forms of outreach geared towards policymakers and the general public., Awareness-raising, : UNICEF shines a spotlight on the needs of children with disabilities by conducting research and hosting roundtables, workshops and other events for government partners., Capacity-building, : UNICEF builds the capacity of education systems in partner countries by training teachers, administrators and communities, and providing technical assistance to Governments., Implementation support, : UNICEF assists with monitoring and evaluation in partner countries to close the implementation gap between policy and practice., More from UNICEF, Resources, Fixing the Broken Promise of Education for All, This report draws on national studies to examine why millions of children continue to be denied the fundamental right to primary education. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities adopts a broad categorization of persons with disabilities and reaffirms that all persons with…, This document provides guidance on what Governments can do to create inclusive education systems. Towards Inclusive Education: The Impact of Disability on School Attendance in Developing Countries Using cross-nationally comparable and nationally representative data from 18 surveys in 15 countries, this paper investigates how disability affects…

Investing in girls’ education transforms communities, countries and the entire world. Girls who receive an education are less likely to marry young and more likely to lead healthy, productive lives. They earn higher incomes, participate in the decisions that most affect them, and build better futures for themselves and their families. Girls’…, When we invest in girls’ secondary education, The lifetime earnings of girls dramatically increase National growth rates rise Child marriage rates decline Child mortality rates fall Maternal mortality rates fall Child stunting drops, Why are girls out of school?, Despite evidence demonstrating how central girls’ education is to development, gender disparities in education persist. Around the world, 129 million girls are out of school, including 32 million of primary school age, 30 million of lower-secondary school age, and 67 million of upper-secondary school age. In countries affected by conflict, girls…, Gender equality in education, Gender-equitable education systems empower girls and boys and promote the development of life skills – like self-management, communication, negotiation and critical thinking – that young people need to succeed. They close skills gaps that perpetuate pay gaps, and build prosperity for entire countries. Gender-equitable education systems can…, UNICEF’s work to promote girls’ education, UNICEF works with communities, Governments and partners to remove barriers to girls’ education and promote gender equality in education – even in the most challenging settings. Because investing in girls’ secondary education is one of the most transformative development strategies, we prioritize efforts that enable all girls to complete secondary…, More from UNICEF, Resources, Reimagining girls' education Reimagining Girls' Education: Solutions to Keep Girls Learning in Emergencies This resource presents an empirical overview of what works to support learning outcomes for girls in emergencies. e-Toolkit on Gender Equality in Education This course aims to strengthen the capacity of UNICEF's education staff globally in…, This report draws on national studies to examine why millions of children continue to be denied the fundamental right to primary education. GirlForce: Skills, Education and Training for Girls Now This report discusses persistent barriers girls face in the transition from education to the workforce, and how gender gaps in employment outcomes…, Investing in data is critical to understand girls’ ongoing and emerging challenges. UNICEF Gender Action Plan (2018–2021) This plan specifies how UNICEF will promote gender equality across the organization’s work, in alignment with the UNICEF Strategic Plan. Global Partnership for Education This partnership site provides data and programming…

On any given school day, over 1 billion children around the world head to class. More children and adolescents today are enrolled in pre-primary, primary and secondary education than ever before. Yet, for many of them, schooling does not lead to learning – and this was before COVID-19 shuttered schools and disrupted learning across the globe,…, Resources, UNICEF Education Strategy, 2019–2030 This strategy guides UNICEF’s work in education, confirming its commitment to deliver with partners the Sustainable Development Goals for education and the realization of the Convention on the Rights of the Child – so that every child learns. The Investment Case for Education and Equity, This report explains the global education crisis and outlines solutions, calling for an increase in funding for education and investments that are equitable and efficient. UNICEF Education Annual Results Report, 2020 In 2020, UNICEF’s education programmes reached far more children than at any other time in its history. In response to the COVID-19…, UNICEF’s work in education, All children have the right to go to school and learn, regardless of who they are, where they live or how much money their family has. Quality learning requires a safe, friendly environment, qualified and motivated teachers, and instruction in languages students can understand. It also requires that learning outcomes be monitored and feed back…, Access, : Gender-equitable access to quality education from early childhood to adolescence, including for children with disabilities, marginalized children and those living in humanitarian and emergency settings., Learning and skills, : Quality learning outcomes and skills development that come from strong education systems and innovative solutions., Emergencies and fragile contexts:, Improved learning and protection for children in emergencies and on the move. The lesson of the learning crisis is clear: Business as usual is not improving learning outcomes. A new, more radical approach that focuses on enhancing learning is long overdue and forms the basis of UNICEF’s global education strategy.    To build a world in which every…, Planned results for 2021, Education partnerships, As efforts to realize the  Sustainable Development Goals accelerate, UNICEF is expanding education systems to capture the children most at risk. We forge partnerships with key development organizations, like the Global Partnership for Education, the Global Education Cluster and the United Nations Girls' Education Initiative, to advance our…

KASAMA, Zambia, ─ Elvis Musonda always knew where his five children would go to school – he lives right next to Malama Primary School in Zambia’s Northern Province. It’s one of the few primary schools in the area and demand is high. The school caters for around 3,000 students, but funding is only around 1 Kwacha (US$0.08) per child per year. “There are too many…

Learning inequalities are visible even before children start school.

GENEVA, 7 March 2019 –, At least 75 per cent of the estimated 5.1 million children living with disabilities in Eastern and Central Europe and Central Asia are excluded from quality, inclusive education, UNICEF said today.   Although there is a lack of robust data, available evidence shows that millions of children with disabilities never enter school. For those who do…

TIMBUKTU, Mali, – Fatoumata Touré was born and raised in Timbuktu, the ancient city in central Mali once renowned as a centre of Islamic scholarship. Like her ancestors, Fatoumata loves to learn. “My favourite class at school is history and Timbuktu has so many stories to tell!” the 14-year-old says. She dreams of becoming a lawyer. A passion for intellectual…