Global education aid faces a projected 30% plunge by 2027, risking setbacks for millions of learners and widening inequality, UNESCO’s GEM Report warns.
UNESCO has cautioned that global education aid could shrink by up to 30% between 2023 and 2027, jeopardising progress toward universal quality education and deepening inequalities.
The warning comes in its latest Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, unveiled at the Education Transformation Summit +4 in Paris. The report stresses that without sustained funding, millions of children risk being left behind in access to learning.
The event, which takes place four years after the landmark UN Transforming Education Summit, brings together education ministers, development banks, civil society representatives, teachers, private sector leaders, and young people to address the growing crisis in education financing.
Speaking at the summit, UNESCO Director General Khaled El Enany said the projected decline in international aid would reinforce a cycle of underinvestment, inequality, and slower development.
He stressed that education remains one of the most valuable investments a country can make, yet it continues to receive insufficient funding despite the availability of innovative financing solutions, including debt for education swaps. According to El Enany, expanding these mechanisms requires stronger political commitment.
The report shows that international aid for education fell by 8% in 2024 compared with the previous year, while funding for basic education declined by 15%. Low- and lower-middle-income countries have already lost more than 21% of the education aid they received in 2023. In countries such as Afghanistan, Liberia, Mali, and Niger, the decline exceeds 40%.
UNESCO also noted that education accounted for just 7.5% of global development assistance in 2024, its lowest share in two decades. The organisation estimates that low- and lower-middle-income countries face an annual education funding gap of $97 billion and is urging governments to prioritise investment in education as discussions begin on the global education agenda beyond 2030.
Kehinde Adegoke is an award-winning investigative journalist with more than 15 years of distinguished experience uncovering stories that shape public discourse. With three industry nominations across diverse beats, he has earned recognition for fearless reporting, incisive analysis, and a commitment to accountability. As Managing Editor and CEO of TheDiggerNews.com, Adegoke leads a pioneering newsroom dedicated to exposing hidden truths, amplifying marginalised voices, and setting new standards in investigative journalism.
TheDiggerNews.com | www.thediggernews.com | 08039135472 | Ibadan, Nigeria
