ECW’s Global Estimates Update 2026

Education Cannot Wait (ECW)’s Global Estimates Update 2026 Breaking Barriers: Understanding Educational Exclusion in Crises reveals that 258 million school-aged children and adolescents are affected by crises worldwide—an increase of 21 million in just 18 months.

Of these, 93 million are out of school, while millions more remain enrolled but face conditions that hinder learning and increase the risk of dropping out. In many crisis-affected contexts, an early learning crisis is becoming an access crisis in adolescence.

The report also highlights a powerful reality: children and families continue to value education. In times of crisis, education provides protection, stability, and hope. We cannot give up on them.