UNHCR report warns of risks to refugee education
Refugee children of school age worldwide in 2025
A UNHCR report says 13.1 million refugee children were of school age worldwide in 2025, with 5.8 million out of school. It warns that funding cuts could reverse progress, while higher-education enrollment reached a record 11 per cent.
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- 13.1Mchildren
Refugee children of school age worldwide in 2025
“one of the estimated 13.1 million refugee children of school age worldwide in 2025”
- 5.8Mchildren
Refugee children of school age who remained out of school in 2025
“nearly half – 5.8 million – remain out of school”
AllegedThe UNHCR report warned that education funding cuts risk reversing progress
“cuts to education risk reversing decades of collective investment”
- 32%
Refugee children enrolled in secondary education in 2025
“Only 32 per cent were enrolled in high school in 2025”
- 65%
Refugee children enrolled in primary education in 2025
“65 per cent at the primary level”
- 66.67%
Refugee children lacking foundational learning for classroom preparation
“Two in three lack the foundational learning that prepares them for the classroom”
- 11%
Refugee students enrolled in tertiary education in 2025
“Refugee enrollment at the tertiary level reached a record 11 per cent in 2025”
- 450,000students
Refugee students attending university or technical and vocational training in 2025
“more than 450,000 students attending university or undertaking technical and vocational training”
- 80%
Countries where refugee enrollment remained below the national average
“below the national average in more than 80 per cent of reporting countries”
- 2%
Refugees enrolled in higher education in low-income and conflict-affected countries
“only two per cent of refugees were enrolled in higher education”