UN announced that 6 million refugee children will not be able to go to school in 2025
Quick Look
- UN Secretary-General Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric announced that, based on UNHCR data, approximately 6 million refugee children around the world will not be able to go to school in 2025.
- He warned that funding cuts would increase this number, reversing progress in refugee education.
- He stated that the enrollment rate in higher education reached 11 percent in 2025 and more than 450 thousand refugees were enrolled in higher education for the first time.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
According to data from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), approximately 6 million refugee children around the world will not be able to go to school in 2025. This number is based on last year's estimate that 44 percent of 13.1 million school-age refugee children were out of school.
UN Secretary General Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric gave information at the daily press conference.
Dujarric stated that, according to the data of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), approximately 6 million refugee children around the world will not be able to go to school in 2025, and pointed out that increasing funding cuts threaten to remove millions more children from classrooms and reverse years of progress in refugee education. "UNHCR's latest annual education report estimates that 44 percent of the world's 13.1 million school-age refugee children were out of school last year," Dujarric said. he said.
Pointing out that progress was made in higher education last year, Dujarric shared the information that the enrollment rate of refugees in higher education reached a record level of 11 percent in 2025, and more than 450 thousand refugees were enrolled in higher education for the first time. Dujarric noted that the higher education enrollment rate is around 9 percent in 2024.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
If funding cuts continue, the number of refugee children not being able to attend school may increase in 2026.
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- What are the sources and impact countries of funding cuts?
- How will the sustainability of progress in higher education be ensured?
- What are the emergency response plans for the 6 million children who cannot go to school?

