UNHCR report: 5.8 million refugee children remain out of school

Nearly 6 million refugee children worldwide remained out of school in 2025 as budget cuts threaten decades of educational gains, according to a report published by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The annual education report, titled Pathways to the Future: Education, Opportunity and Self-Reliance, states that 5.8 million refugee children—representing 44% of the 13.1 million school-age refugee population globally—were not enrolled in school last year.

Funding Shortfalls Threaten Refugee Enrollment Gains

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih warned that severe pressures on humanitarian and development funding risk destroying collective investments in refugee education. In a statement released with the report, Salih emphasized that reduced financial support compromises the future of an entire generation of young people. “In this period of strong pressures on humanitarian and development financing, budget cuts in education risk destroying decades of collective investments and compromising the future of an entire generation of young people,” Salih said.

Primary Versus Secondary School Enrollment Gaps

The transition from primary to secondary education remains a critical hurdle for refugee students. While 65% of primary school-age refugee children were in classrooms in 2025, secondary enrollment dropped sharply to just 32%. Adolescent refugee girls face particularly severe barriers, as poverty, protection risks, and early marriages drive up dropout rates after primary school.

Record Numbers Reach Higher Education

By contrast, higher education enrollment reached a record 11% in 2025, up from 9% in 2024. More than 450,000 refugees enrolled in higher education, putting the UNHCR on track to meet a 15% target by 2030 through expanded scholarships, vocational training, and connected learning.

Yet deep disparities persist across regions. In low-income and conflict-affected countries, only 2% of refugees attend higher education, compared to 13% of host-country nationals. The UNHCR is urging international partners to protect education funding and support national school systems that serve both refugees and host communities.

What specific funding commitments international donors will make to bridge the secondary school enrollment gap remains unannounced.