Global cuts to education aid could leave six million more children out of school by 2026, UNICEF warned on Wednesday, as donor support faces a projected decline of US$3.2 billion.
The analysis, released by UNICEF, shows education aid is set to drop by 24 percent from 2023 levels, with just three donor governments responsible for nearly 80 percent of the cuts. If realized, the number of out-of-school children worldwide would rise from 272 million to 278 million, a figure roughly equal to every primary school in Germany and Italy combined.
“Every dollar cut from education is not just a budgetary decision, it’s a child’s future hanging in the balance,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said. “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.”
The agency warns that West and Central Africa would be hardest hit, with 1.9 million children at risk of dropping out, while the Middle East and North Africa could see 1.4 million more children out of school. Côte d’Ivoire and Mali face some of the steepest declines, with enrolment projected to fall by four percent — affecting around 340,000 and 180,000 students, respectively.
Primary education is expected to suffer the sharpest reductions globally, with aid set to fall by one-third. UNICEF estimates affected children could lose US$164 billion in lifetime earnings.
In humanitarian settings, where education also provides safety and stability, funding cuts could remove the equivalent of at least 10 percent of national education budgets. In Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, 350,000 Rohingya refugee children risk losing access to classrooms permanently, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation, child labour, and trafficking.
School feeding programmes, often a child’s only nutritious meal, could see their budgets slashed by more than half, while girls’ education initiatives also face steep setbacks.
Cuts at the system level would weaken teacher training, data collection, and curriculum support, leaving even enrolled children facing declines in quality. UNICEF projects at least 290 million students could see their learning outcomes deteriorate.
The agency urged donor governments to reverse course and safeguard education aid, calling for at least half of global education assistance to be directed toward least developed countries, alongside prioritizing early childhood and primary schooling.
“Investing in children’s education is one of the best investments in the future, for everyone,” Russell advised. “Countries do better when their children are educated and healthy, and it contributes to a more stable and prosperous world.”