Every dollar cut from education puts a child’s future—and the world’s future—at risk.
UNICEF has warned that an estimated six million children could be out of school by the end of 2026 due to global education funding cuts. According to a September 2025 UNICEF press release, Official Development Assistance (ODA) for education is projected to fall by $3.2 billion, a 24% drop from 2023. Notably, three governments account for nearly 80% of these reductions, pushing the global out-of-school population from 272 million to 278 million children.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell emphasized that “every dollar cut from education is not just a budgetary decision, it is a child’s future hanging in the balance.” Education, particularly in emergency settings, connects children to essential services such as health, protection, and nutrition, while also offering the strongest chance to escape poverty.
The analysis highlights that nearly 28 countries may lose at least a quarter of their education assistance. West and Central Africa face the steepest impact, with 1.9 million children at risk of missing school, while the Middle East and North Africa could see an increase of 1.4 million out-of-school children. Essential programmes, including school feeding which often provides children with their only nutritious meal and support for girls’ education, are also expected to decline. Funding cuts threaten governments’ capacity to plan effectively, support teacher development, and monitor learning outcomes.
UNICEF urged donor and partner countries to act decisively: directing at least 50% of assistance to the least developed countries, safeguarding humanitarian education funding, prioritizing foundational learning in early childhood and primary education, simplifying global financing under the UN80 Initiative, and exploring innovative financing without reducing core education funding.
“Investing in children’s education is one of the best investments in the future—for everyone,” Russell said. “Educated and healthy children contribute to a more stable and prosperous world.”
