Looking beyond access: Global debate calls for inclusive, context‑responsive solutions to the Out‑of‑School challenge

With 273 million children and youth out of school - a rising figure for seven consecutive years - the SDG 4 High-Level Steering Committee (HLSC) and the Global Education Monitoring Report held a high-level panel on 25 March 2026 at UNESCO Headquarters to redefine the global response.

On the occasion of the high-level launch of the 2026 Global Education Monitoring Report on Access and Equity , Ministers and senior education leaders from five countries-Armenia, Haiti, Italy, Mozambique and Thailand-shared high-impact strategies to transform education systems to be more inclusive to keep learners in school.

Ms Stefania Giannini, UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Education, the debate by emphasizing that today's out-of-school challenge is no longer just about expanding access but preventing dropouts and ensuring learners progress and learn-this requires long-term, integrated systemic action: