98m Children Still Out of School in Sub-Sahara Africa -UNESCO Report

UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) says new data shows that 98 million children and youth between the ages of six and 18 worldwide are still out of school in Sub-Sahara Africa.

This is as the new school year begins in many parts of the world.

UNESCO, in new data published online on Thursday, shows that Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region with the most children and youth out of school, with a total of 98 million children.

“It is also the only region where this number is increasing, out-of-school rates are falling more slowly than the rate at which the school-age population is growing.

“The region with the second highest out-of-school population is Central and Southern Asia, with 85 million,’’ it stated.

Globally, the new UNESCO data shows that 244 million children and youth between the ages of six and 18 worldwide are still out of school.

“No one can accept this situation,” the UNESCO Director-General, Ms Audrey Azoulay said, underlining the need to respect every child’s right to education.

“In view of these results, the objective of quality education for all by 2030, set by the United Nations, risks not being achieved,” she warned.

“We need a global mobilisation to place education at the top of the international agenda.”