UNICEF warns of learning crisis despite high school enrolment

Ivan Zhakata

Herald Correspondent

THE United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said millions of children across the globe were failing to acquire basic reading and mathematics skills despite increased access to schooling.

Although school enrolment has improved significantly over the years, UNICEF said attendance alone does not guarantee that children are learning, particularly in the early grades where foundational skills are critical.

“Being enrolled does not always mean a child is learning,” said Mr João Pedro Azevedo, deputy director and chief statistician in UNICEF’s Office of Strategy and Evidence.

Mr Azevedo said while countries had relatively strong data on school attendance, there was limited comparable data on actual learning outcomes, making it difficult to track progress across countries and over time.

To address this gap, UNICEF has developed the Foundational Learning Skills (FLS) Module, a standardised tool that measures whether children aged between seven and 14 can read with understanding and perform basic numeracy tasks.

The module is part of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), which is the world’s largest source of comparable data on children and women.

Using trained interviewers, the FLS Module assesses children in their homes through simple and child-friendly exercises.

Reading is evaluated through oral reading and comprehension questions, while numeracy is assessed through number recognition, comparison, basic addition and pattern recognition.

Mr Azevedo said the most recent round of surveys covered 46 countries and reached about 230 000 children in more than 10 languages.

Preliminary findings indicate that disparities in learning outcomes persist, with children from disadvantaged backgrounds more likely to lag in acquiring foundational skills.

He said UNICEF has also launched a new resource hub with interactive tools, country data and analytical dashboards to support policymakers, researchers and development partners.

Mr Azevedo said the platform is expected to enhance evidence-based planning and strengthen efforts to improve learning outcomes.

“We will continue to expand this space with additional analyses and joint pieces on foundational learning in the coming months,” he said.

Mr Azevedo said strengthening foundational learning remains critical to improving education quality and ensuring that children are equipped with essential skills for future development.