UN chief calls for ‘dramatic shift’ to transform education worldwide

António Guterres was taking part in a Special Event on Transforming Education – part of the on-going High Level Political Forum (HLPF) and looking ahead of the upcoming Summit of the Future in September.

The event was a call to action, with the UN chief calling on all countries to make a concerted effort to establish genuine learning environments that will provide learning opportunities from childhood to adult stages.

“Given the stakes, the world cannot afford to short-change education,” Mr. Guterres said. “But by nearly every measure, that is exactly what we are doing.”

Global challenges

The UN chief said that around 84 million children are set to remain out of school by 2030 - unless action is taken to transform education worldwide.

That means that Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) which aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” is unlikely to be reached.

Currently, only a sixth of countries are on courses to achieve the SDG4 target of universal access to quality education.

Mr. Guterres also noted that completion rates at a secondary level are rising far too slowly, learners are not equipped with the skills they need to succeed in a changing world, and early childhood and adult learning are often seen as optional.

“It’s truly shocking that some 70 per cent of children in sub-Saharan Africa are unable to read a basic text by age 10,” he said.

Financial roadblocks

The Secretary-General said that financing to provide quality education is also insufficient to meet the challenge.

In 2023, the UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) estimated that developing nations would need to invest $100 billion annually to achieve SDG4. This amount increases by about 50 per cent when costs for the digital transformation of education are considered.

Further, Mr. Guterres said that four of every 10 people globally live in nations where governments spend more on debt servicing than on education or health.

He said that over 140 countries committed to turning this crisis around at the Transforming Education Summit in 2022.

But “progress is far too slow and uneven. Something has to change.”

Poverty and gender

President of the General Assembly, Dennis Francis, echoed the Secretary-General’s statements on the need for transformation.

He recalled recent visits to South Sudan where he said he learned about the “dire poverty of education evident from the fact that at least 70 per cent of eligible children are out of school.”

He also noted that the denial of a girl’s right to education in Afghanistan and the inability to access education in Ukraine and Gaza due to constant attacks are clear indicators of an intractable crisis.

“Beyond access, we must ensure quality education for all fostering inclusive, equitable and lifelong learning opportunities that empower every individual to thrive in a rapidly changing world,” Mr Francis said. “We must combine our political will, with clear targeted actions to decisively address these urgent needs.”

‘Let’s start walking the talk’

Secretary-General Guterres has a four-point plan at the special event on education to end the global education crisis and build momentum towards achieving SDG4 by 2030.

This includes closing the financing and access gap nationwide, supporting teachers on the frontlines of education and and revolutionising education systems, the UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said.

“Education has got to be in the mix to shape that,” Ms. Mohammed said.

“The message today is clear: Education is intrinsic to the achievement of our common goals in sustainable development, peace and human rights,” she concluded, adding that education speaks to the very fabric of our societies and it has an essential contribution to make.

Mr. Guterres said, “Education is the single-most important investment any country can make. In its people. And in its future,” in his closing remarks.

“So, let’s start walking the talk. Let’s come together to end the global crisis in education.”