A quality education
for every child

Education can change a child’s life

Every child has the right to an education—whatever their ability, location, gender or ethnicity. We are working to make sure all children get the right to a quality education.

At the moment, this right is not afforded to every child. 70% of 10-year-olds in low and middle-income countries cannot read and understand a simple story.

Children who haven’t had the opportunity to learn are more likely to remain trapped in cycles of poverty. They’re at greater risk of other rights violations, such as forced labour, early marriage or forced recruitment into armed groups.

But we can change this and we are changing it. Every year UNICEF and our partners help millions of children get an education.

• We work with governments, communities and parents to enable every child access to a quality education.
• We set up child-friendly spaces where children can keep learning, even during a conflict or natural disaster.
• We provide them with textbooks and classroom kits.

Abasse’s Story

No one should have to go through what 8-year-old Abasse has gone through.

Since 2015, his native Burkina Faso has seen a surge in armed violence. He was 5 when his school in Burkina Faso was shut down by non-state armed groups.

With no money to pay for transport, Abasse and his family walked over 200 kilometres to Tanguieta in Benin where the community offered them food, drink and a place to sleep.

“We left home because we were chased away,” reflects Abasse. Abasse’s parents work hard to ensure their children have enough to eat, but outside of harvest season, this is a difficult task.

UNICEF is providing essential support to refugee Burkinabe families like Abasse’s through the Social Promotion Centre in Tanguieta. This includes clothing, basics for cooking and washing, along with facilitating school enrolment and providing health care.

Back in Burkina Faso, 5,365 schools have been closed due to insecurity affecting 833,818 children like Abasse.

Despite difficult conditions, UNICEF is working hard to preserve children’s right to an education, building temporary learning centres in safe areas and working with refugee families in neighbouring countries.

Inclusion

In striving to make this right a reality, we are ready to innovate. A good example of this is our Accessible Digital Textbooks for All. With our partners, we developed digital learning materials to meet the needs of every child. That means availability, affordability and accessibility.

These textbooks are adjustable to the individual accessibility needs of the child. For students who are blind or have low vision, there are voiceovers. For those who are deaf or hard of hearing, there is sign language. Finally, there is a plethora of activities for those who have intellectual, developmental or learning disabilities, so that the textbooks truly are for every child.

Truly, radically inclusive learning can have a huge impact on a child. Take six-year-old Ari, for example. Ari was diagnosed with Auditory Neuropathy as a baby, a disorder that prevents sound travelling from the ear to the brain.

Accessible Digital Textbooks ensure that Ari’s disability doesn’t hamper his learning. Instead, he is free to learn and express himself in the way that suits him.

Donate now to help us ensure every child has that freedom.