The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has reported that a staggering 244 million children and youth aged 6 to 18 are currently out of school worldwide. This alarming statistic is further exacerbated by the closure of approximately 14,300 schools across 24 African countries as of June 2024, as highlighted by the Norwegian Refugee Council.
Among the most affected nations are Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria, and Niger. These countries face significant challenges in providing access to education due to a combination of factors such as poverty, conflicts, inadequate government policies, and the impact of climate change. Children from low-income backgrounds are particularly vulnerable to missing out on education opportunities.
Poverty has emerged as a major barrier to education, with a significant number of children unable to attend school due to financial constraints. This issue is compounded by global economic inequalities, as revealed by a recent survey showing that 33% of school-aged children and youth in low-income countries are deprived of the chance to learn, compared to only 3% in high-income countries.
The disparity in education access is further highlighted by the fact that low and middle-income countries spent a mere $55 per learner in 2022, while high-income countries allocated $8,543 per learner, according to a UNESCO report. Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, accounts for over half of all out-of-school children and adolescents globally.
A closer look at the data provided by UNESCO indicates the scale of the issue in African countries. For instance, Nigeria has an estimated 18.18 million out-of-school children, followed by Ethiopia with 11.1 million, Tanzania with 6.42 million, the Democratic Republic of Congo with 6.17 million, Sudan with 5.6 million, Niger with 5.5 million, Uganda with 4.9 million, Angola with 3.9 million, Burkina Faso with 3.4 million, and Mali with 3.1 million.
These figures underscore the urgent need for comprehensive interventions to address the root causes of educational disparities and ensure that every child has access to quality education. By investing in education and implementing effective policies, governments and stakeholders can work towards reducing the number of out-of-school children and fostering a more inclusive and equitable education system.
