UNESCO Mid-Term Review of Education 2030 Framework Calls for Accelerated Action on Learning Poverty

Paris, 24 February 2026 — UNESCO has published the mid-term review of the Education 2030 Framework for Action, providing a critical assessment of global progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) — ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Learning Poverty Persists

The review, prepared by UNESCO's Institute for Statistics (UIS), finds that learning poverty — defined as the proportion of children unable to read and understand a simple text by age ten — remains alarmingly high. In sub-Saharan Africa, over 80 per cent of children remain learning poor. Without course correction, UNESCO projects that 303 million children will still lack foundational literacy and numeracy skills when the 2030 deadline arrives.

Out-of-School Children

An estimated 244 million children and adolescents remain out of school globally, a figure that has stagnated since 2015. Progress in reducing out-of-school rates has been concentrated in middle-income countries, while low-income countries and fragile states have made limited gains.

Teacher Shortage Crisis

The review identifies a structural teacher deficit as one of the most binding constraints on education systems. UNESCO estimates that an additional 44 million primary and secondary teachers will be needed worldwide by 2030 to achieve universal quality education. Inadequate pre-service training, poor remuneration, and challenging working conditions are contributing to elevated attrition rates.

Digital Transformation of Education

UNESCO's review acknowledges the transformative potential of digital technologies in expanding access to quality learning, but cautions against inequitable digital transitions that deepen the divide between well-resourced and under-resourced education systems. As of 2025, approximately 2.9 billion people — predominantly in low-income countries — lack reliable internet access, creating a structural barrier to digital learning.

Recommendations

UNESCO calls on governments and development partners to: - Allocate at minimum six per cent of GDP or fifteen per cent of total public expenditure to education; - Prioritise foundational learning through targeted remediation programmes; - Invest in teacher education, professional development, and retention incentives; - Develop inclusive digital education strategies that close rather than widen equity gaps.