Education

Global progress in child labour reduction has stalled since 2016. In South Asia, the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, recurrent extreme weather events and the cost-of-living crisis further threaten to slow or even reverse the progress made. This synthesis report addresses a timely need for new research to help decision-makers and practitioners identify policy and programmatic actions that can support prevention and reduction of child labour in South Asia, with a focus on the role of education. Drawing on quantitative data and qualitative primary evidence from UNICEF Innocenti’s research in Bangladesh and India, it offers an accessible and rigorous overview of recent trends and patterns in child labour and explores how these relate to children’s schooling experiences in both countries. Implications of COVID-19 for education and labour, and the role of child marriage as a key related outcome, are also assessed. The report also explores children’s perspectives of their labour and schooling experiences, including in migration contexts as well as during the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting school closures. The report concludes with programmatic and research recommendations for further action at regional, country, and global levels.

India has made rapid progress towards the universalization of school education, hand in hand with a decline in child labour. Despite progress, child labour persists in the country, just as school attendance and completion rates reveal gaps in educational attainment.This report addresses a timely need for new research to help decision-makers and practitioners build an improved understanding of how to strengthen the role of education in the elimination of child labour across India. Drawing on quantitative secondary data analysis and qualitative primary data analysis, it offers an accessible and rigorous overview of recent patterns in child labour in India and their linkages with children’s school participation. The report also explores children’s perspectives of their labour and schooling experiences, including in migration contexts as well as during the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting school closures. The report concludes with programmatic and research recommendations for further action. 

In the past two decades, Bangladesh experienced a substantial reduction in the prevalence of child labour, associated with improvements in school enrolment and completion. Despite progress, child labour persists in the country, also driven by household earning losses and school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.This report addresses a timely need for new research to help decision-makers and practitioners identify policy and programmatic actions that can support prevention and reduction of child labour, with a focus on the role of education. Drawing on quantitative secondary data analysis and qualitative primary data analysis, it offers an accessible and rigorous overview of recent trends and patterns in child labour and explores how these relate to children’s schooling experiences. Implications of COVID-19 for education and labour, and the role of child marriage as a key related outcome, are also assessed. The report concludes with programmatic and research recommendations for further action.  

In 2019, children with disabilities in Cambodia were three times less likely to access educational opportunities than their peers without disabilities. Several barriers impede their ability to access inclusive educational opportunities. These include limited capacity of mainstream schools to enroll children with disabilities, lack of teachers who are trained in pedagogical strategies and approaches to teach children with various types of functional difficulties, and community perceptions towards inclusive education. A holistic approach is required to ensure necessary changes are made at all levels of the education system to ensure that children with disabilities can access inclusive learning in Cambodia. This is the first report under the Learning is For Everyone (LiFE) project and offers key recommendations to address barriers.

The earlier we invest in children's learning, the greater the return on individuals and society. It is estimated that every dollar spent on pre-primary education results in a nine-dollar return to society. 1 Positive early learning and development experiences are linked to benefits in cognitive and socioemotional outcomes in children. Quality is a…, What does the evidence suggest?,   Increasing the number of high-quality pre-primary education programmes for children that need it most, and providing scholarships to access such programmes, can foster their learning and development. 2, 3, 4   Engaging families and communities to strengthen their knowledge on child development and parenting skills promotes children’s education.…, Recommendations for policy and practice, "Identify the most vulnerable groups of children who are missing out on early learning opportunities and increase the number of pre-primary programmes in a targeted and equitable way to reach those children." Ghalia Ghawi, Research Specialist, UNICEF Innocenti Ghalia Ghawi, Research Specialist, UNICEF Innocenti "Training of early learning…

School leaders play a critical role in creating high-quality teaching and learning environments within their schools that can contribute to improving student learning outcomes. Emerging evidence shows that female school leaders may adopt different practices, possibly creating more favourable learning environments. Research has found additional…, Reports, News and insights

Teacher deployment is a key barrier to improving foundational learning for children in sub-Saharan Africa.  While teacher shortages are a critical bottleneck in some countries, the uneven distribution of existing teachers is a more pervasive challenge. This leads to disparities in class sizes and learning conditions, disproportionately…, Reports, News and insights

Children with disabilities are significantly more likely than their peers to be excluded from education and learning opportunities. Many education systems and schools struggle to provide inclusive educational experiences, where children with and without disabilities can learn together, due to a lack of materials, inadequate capacity and other…, Reports

Children who miss out on high-quality early learning experiences fail to achieve age-appropriate progress in primary school. This can have life-long detrimental effects on their achievements and their well-being. There is robust and ample evidence that high-quality early childhood education can positively affect children’s learning and socio-…, Reports, News and insights

There are stark trends of inequity and poor foundational learning outcomes for children in Southeast Asian countries: Of the six countries that participated in the regional seaplm.org | SEA-PLM 2019 Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics Programme (SEA-PLM) in 2019 , only a third of participating children performed at the level expected in early…, Reports

Quality early childhood education (ECE) is crucial for children's cognitive, emotional and social development, yet many children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) lack access to effective early learning opportunities due to socio-economic barriers, limited resources and availability of spaces for young children to enroll in pre-schools.…, Reports

In crises such as natural disasters, conflicts, and pandemics, traditional educational infrastructures often collapse, leaving millions of children without access to schooling. Mobile phones, widely available even in low-resource settings, present a promising tool for maintaining and enhancing education during such emergencies.  On Call explores…, Reports