About 6 million more children could be out of school by the end of 2026, due to financial aid cuts by the US.
UNICEF said its latest report, released on Wednesday, estimates financial aid to decrease by US$3.2 billion, a 24% drop from 2023. Three donor governments account for nearly 80 per cent of the cuts.
This is expected to push the number of out-of-school children globally to 278 million from 272 million.
Catherine Russell., UNICEF Executive Director, said “every dollar cut from education is not just a budgetary decision, it’s a child’s future hanging in the balance. Education, especially in emergency settings, often serves as a lifeline, connecting children to essential services like health, protection, and nutrition. It also provides the strongest opportunity for a child to escape poverty and build a better life.”
According to the analysis, West (Côte d’Ivoire and Mali) and Central Africa will be worse off, with 1.9 million children at risk of losing out, while the Middle East and North Africa, could see an increase of 1.4 million out of school learners.
At least 28 countries are projected to lose at least a quarter of education assistance affecting pre-primary, primary, and secondary schooling.
Primary education is expected to be hit hardest around the world, with funding set to fall by a third – deepening the learning crisis and putting affected children at risk of losing an estimated US$164 billion in lifetime earnings.
UNICEF urges donor and partner countries to act now to protect education, by primarily rebalancing education assistance to be more equitable and effective with a minimum of 50 per cent directed to least developed countries.
“Investing in children’s education is one of the best investments in the future – for everyone,” said Russell.