Programme

Education

Appropriate learning supplies for children and adolescents help to fulfill their right to education and equip them for the future.

Two girls, using with school supplies provided by UNICEF, sit at their classroom desk in a makeshift school that welcomed 900 displaced children in the Jibreen shelter, Syria, in December 2016. — UNICEF/UN045739/Al-Issa

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The challenge

Globally, many children and adolescents do not have the opportunity to enter or complete school. This is often due to conflicts, emergencies, poverty, disability or discrimination. Creating child-friendly spaces and providing safe, age-appropriate learning supplies in emergency situations or remote places can be extremely challenging. Additionally, the learning and emotional support needs of children vary depending on their context, especially for those traumatized by humanitarian crises. 

The solution

UNICEF works to provide learning opportunities for children in these challenging circumstances by delivering education supplies.   

UNICEF specializes in the supply of education kits that enable children to continue learning during humanitarian crises. The iconic kits include the School-in-a-Box, the Early Childhood Development Kit and the Recreation Kit, which are adapted to different languages and situations. In 2024, over 77,000 of these kits were delivered, enough to provide learning supplies to more than five million children worldwide. Other pre-packed kits include the Adolescent Kit, Mathematics Kit and Science Kit.

Regaining a sense of normalcy

Supplies such as toys, recreational equipment and learning materials are part of the solution, from early childhood to adolescence. UNICEF ensures that the toys it delivers are child-friendly, age-appropriate, inclusive, culturally neutral and meet essential safety and quality requirements. These items provide access to play and learning, helping to regain a sense of normalcy for children in vulnerable situations. By equipping instructors with supplies like chalk, rulers and chalkboards, UNICEF supports children’s growth and skill development.

In addition, UNICEF provides large tents that can be used as temporary classrooms and for recreational activities, especially in emergency situations. These supplies enable children to continue learning, even in the most difficult situations.

Students laugh while seated in temporary UNICEF classroom. — UNICEF/UNI779658/Ralaivita Students in the Anosy region of Madagascar lost their schools in the aftermath of powerful tropical storm Jude that hit the country in March 2025. Supplies such as temporary classrooms provide a space for children to continue their education despite challenging circumstances.

Environmentally sustainable supplies

UNICEF is adopting sustainable practices in the production, packaging and delivery of education supplies. Working with suppliers for education products, UNICEF is choosing:  

Certified Oeko-Tex for winter clothing, ensuring that the products meet safety standards across all stages of production, including compliance with social and environmental conditions in manufacturing facilities.
Certified wood from the Forest Stewardship Council for pencil production, exercise books and wooden products. This ensures that products come from responsibly managed forests.  
Recycled aluminum boxes to facilitate safe storage and easy transportation of education kits for humanitarian response.
Durable and reusable packaging for individual kit components, reducing reliance on single-use plastic.