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Education
Programme
Education
Every child has the right to learn.
A smiling young student holds a small chalkboard in a classroom in Côte d’Ivoire.
UNICEF/UN0149769/Dejongh
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.
A lack of trained teachers, inadequate learning materials, makeshift classes and poor sanitation facilities make learning difficult for many children. Others come to school too hungry, sick or exhausted from work or household tasks to benefit from their lessons.
The consequences are grave: An estimated 617 million children and adolescents around the world are unable to reach minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics – even though two thirds of them are in school.
This learning crisis is the greatest global challenge to preparing children and adolescents for life, work and active citizenship.
