Breaking Barriers:
Understanding Educational Exclusion in Crises
Education Cannot Wait (ECW)'s new report, Breaking Barriers: Understanding Educational Exclusion in Crises, reveals that 258 million school-aged children and adolescents are affected by crises worldwide—an increase of 21 million in just 18 months.
Of these, 93 million are out of school, while millions more remain enrolled but face conditions that hinder learning and increase the risk of dropping out. In many crisis-affected contexts, an early learning crisis is becoming an access crisis in adolescence.
The report also highlights a powerful reality: children and families continue to value education. In times of crisis, education provides protection, stability, and hope. We cannot give up on them.
Key Findings
Across many crisis-affected contexts, children are not only struggling to stay in school – they are struggling to learn. As foundational learning gaps widen, millions risk being pushed out of education altogether. Families continue to prioritize education, but poverty, displacement, insecurity and disrupted education systems are placing learning out of reach.
The Crisis in Numbers
Across 87 countries worldwide
258 Million
school-aged children have their education affected
Completely out of school
93 Million
never attend class
The crisis is highly concentrated
20 countries concentrate around 70% of the global education crisis
182M
crisis-affected children live in the world's 20 most severe crises
of 258M globally affected
74M
of these children are completely out of school
in the 20 crisis countries
80%
of all out-of-school children worldwide live in just these 20 countries
74M of 93M globally OOS
Beyond the Numbers
The global education crisis continues to deepen
An estimated 258 million children and adolescents have had their education affected by crises across 87 countries, including 93 million who are out of school.
Educational needs are highly concentrated
While needs are growing, educational exclusion is concentrated in a relatively small number of countries and crisis contexts.
Educational exclusion is deeply unequal
Educational exclusion rises as vulnerabilities accumulate, with displaced children, children with disabilities and those living in the most severe crises facing the greatest barriers.
Families have not given up on education
Most crisis-affected households continue to prioritize education and keep children enrolled until financial resources are exhausted.
A learning crisis in the early grades can become an access crisis in adolescence
Large learning deficits emerge early and often persist throughout primary school, increasing the risk of disengagement and dropout.
Conflict is associated with deeper and more persistent learning deficits
Learning progresses more slowly in conflict-affected settings, where children face deeper and more persistent learning deficits.
Forced displacement creates lasting educational disadvantages
Displaced children experience lower promotion rates, slower progression and greater educational disadvantages over time.
Where needs are greatest
Nearly 80% of all out-of-school crisis-affected children identified in the study live in just 20 countries.
ECW invests in these contexts alongside strategic partners. Reaching every child will require sustained financing and collective action to scale proven solutions and protect learning in the world's protracted crises.
Support for education in crises is the insurance policy families, governments and donors need to protect their long-term investments in education and economic opportunity. The evidence is clear: conflict and climate change are rolling back hard-won gains in education. We are calling out the biggest emergency in education. The world's 20 most severe crisis contexts are home to 74 million out-of-school crisis-affected children – nearly 80% of all out-of-school crisis-affected children identified in this study. These findings show us where needs are greatest and where investments can have the greatest impact. Now is the time to invest in the futures of crisis-affected children.
— Maysa Jalbout, ECW Director
