UNHCR report: 5.8 million of the world's 13.1 million school-age refugee children are out of school

2 October 2026

A new report by the UN refugee agency UNHCR says that of an estimated 13.1 million school-age refugee children worldwide in 2025, nearly half - 5.8 million - remain out of school.
Enrolment stood at 65 per cent at primary level but only 32 per cent at secondary level, making the transition to high school the biggest single gap.
Two in three refugee children arrive at primary school without the foundational learning that prepares them for the classroom.
Refugee enrolment in higher education reached a record 11 per cent in 2025, with more than 450,000 students in university or technical and vocational training, keeping the 15x30 pledge of 15 per cent by 2030 within reach.
Refugee enrolment remains below the national average in more than 80 per cent of reporting countries; in low-income and conflict-affected countries only 2 per cent of refugees were in higher education against 13 per cent of nationals.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih said cuts to education "risk reversing decades of collective investment".