CNN Central News & Networks / ITDC India ePress / ITDC News /Agencies/ Bhopal: Despite efforts across the world to take education to all children, the challenge of completing school education continues. According to UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report 2026, if the current pace of progress in education continues, the world may have to wait until 2105 to achieve the target of 95 percent of young people completing upper secondary education. This means the goal could still take about eight decades to achieve.
Improvement in school education, but slow pace
According to the report, between 2000 and 2024, the global completion rate for primary education rose from 77 percent to 88 percent. During the same period, the completion rate for lower secondary education increased from 60 percent to 78 percent, while the rate for upper secondary education rose from 37 percent to 61 percent. Even so, nearly four in 10 young people are still unable to complete upper secondary education.
273 million children and youth out of school
The report said that in 2024, around 273 million children and youth worldwide were out of school. This means one in every six children of school-going age is not receiving education. For the seventh consecutive year, an increase has been recorded in the number of children and youth out of school. Population growth, conflict and limited education budgets have been listed among the main reasons.
Completion, not just enrolment, is also a challenge
UNESCO has made it clear that merely increasing school enrolment is not enough. It is also necessary to keep students within the education system and ensure they complete education up to the prescribed level. Late enrolment, grade repetition, economic inequality and lack of resources cause a large number of students to fall behind. According to the report, with faster progress, the target of 95 percent completion of upper secondary education could be achieved by 2081, and under the fastest expansion scenario by 2062. This makes it clear that policy reforms and investment can change the current projection.
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