Global Education Monitoring Report 2026: Progress in Access Falls Short of Sustainable Development Goal
The 2026 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, titled "Countdown to 2030: Access and equity," reveals that while significant strides have been made in global education access since 2000, progress is falling short of achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 by the 2030 deadline. The report, launched on March 25, 2026, highlights that over 273 million children and young people were out of school in 2024, marking a consecutive seven-year increase. This means one in six young people worldwide is currently denied the right to education [1, 7, 8, 9].
Despite the challenges, the report acknowledges considerable progress. Globally, enrollment has increased by 30% in primary and secondary education, 45% in early childhood education, and a substantial 161% in post-secondary education since 2000 [1, 9]. Completion rates have also seen improvements, rising from 77% to 88% in primary education and from 37% to 61% in upper secondary education over the same period [1]. However, progress has been more limited since 2015, and at current rates, universal upper secondary completion is not projected until 2105, far beyond the SDG target [7, 8].
A key concern highlighted is the growing shortage of qualified teachers. Only 11% of low-income countries require a bachelor's degree for primary teachers, and the proportion of academically qualified primary teachers has decreased in some regions [1]. The report emphasizes that equitable access to education depends on strong, long-term policies that address both learning and wider factors affecting school attendance, such as poverty, geography, disability, and gender [7, 10].
The GEM Report series, with this being the first in a three-part "Countdown to 2030" initiative, aims to take stock of education progress. Future reports will focus on quality and learning in 2027 and relevance in 2028 [2, 3, 4]. The report stresses that sustainable progress requires a systemic approach, combining cross-sectoral coordination, sustained political commitment, and adaptation to local contexts [1]. It also calls for greater national ownership of the international education agenda, with countries setting ambitious yet achievable targets grounded in their own contexts [9].
Despite the challenges, the report acknowledges considerable progress. Globally, enrollment has increased by 30% in primary and secondary education, 45% in early childhood education, and a substantial 161% in post-secondary education since 2000 [1, 9]. Completion rates have also seen improvements, rising from 77% to 88% in primary education and from 37% to 61% in upper secondary education over the same period [1]. However, progress has been more limited since 2015, and at current rates, universal upper secondary completion is not projected until 2105, far beyond the SDG target [7, 8].
A key concern highlighted is the growing shortage of qualified teachers. Only 11% of low-income countries require a bachelor's degree for primary teachers, and the proportion of academically qualified primary teachers has decreased in some regions [1]. The report emphasizes that equitable access to education depends on strong, long-term policies that address both learning and wider factors affecting school attendance, such as poverty, geography, disability, and gender [7, 10].
The GEM Report series, with this being the first in a three-part "Countdown to 2030" initiative, aims to take stock of education progress. Future reports will focus on quality and learning in 2027 and relevance in 2028 [2, 3, 4]. The report stresses that sustainable progress requires a systemic approach, combining cross-sectoral coordination, sustained political commitment, and adaptation to local contexts [1]. It also calls for greater national ownership of the international education agenda, with countries setting ambitious yet achievable targets grounded in their own contexts [9].
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