UNESCO: Aid cuts threaten education for millions

The latest UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report has shed light on the critical impact of recent reductions in aid to education, revealing that major donor countries are slashing international aid to education at an alarming rate. According to the report, these cuts could result in a 14 per cent global drop in education aid, marking the steepest decline in over a decade. Some regions and countries, particularly low-income nations in Africa, are expected to bear the brunt of these reductions. Countries like Chad and Liberia could see a drastic 50 per cent decrease in education aid. Manos Antoninis, Director of the Global Education Monitoring Report, emphasized the severity of the situation, stressing that certain vulnerable populations within these nations, such as girls, children with disabilities, and refugees, will be most affected by the drop in support. The implications of these aid cuts go beyond just financial constraints, as they risk derailing national learning assessment systems and jeopardizing the future of millions of children. The UNESCO report warns that unless decisive action is taken to address these challenges, the world risks failing an entire generation. The reduction in aid could not only impede efforts to improve learning outcomes and educational access but also deepen existing inequalities and hinder socio-economic progress.