The price of inaction: The global private, fiscal and social costs of children and youth not learning Report Released | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
News Today Logo

    The price of inaction: The global private, fiscal and social costs of children and youth not learning Report Released

    Posted 25 Jun 2024

    2 min read

    Report is prepared by UNESCO in collaboration with OECD and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

    • It analysed the economic and societal cost of educational deficiencies for the first time.

    Key Findings

    • Out-of-school children and educational gaps cost the global economy $10,000 billion annually.
      • Around 250 million children and young people globally remain out of school despite decades of effort.
    • 57 % of the world’s children have not gained basic skill levels.
    • Each year of secondary education reduces the risk of girls marrying and having a child before age 18.
      • Female early school leavers are linked to a 59% increase in early pregnancies. 
    • Reducing early school leavers or those without basic skills by 10% could boost annual GDP growth by 1 to 2% points.

    Recommendations

    • Improve school infrastructure, including providing single-sex water and sanitation facilities, reducing class sizes, etc. 
      • Report highlighted that in India, construction of toilets decreased girls’ dropout rate by 12% points and that of boys by 11% points. 
    • Promoting health and mental well-being of students through comprehensive sexuality education.
    • Promoting vocational education and training that meets labour market needs and addresses gender barriers to participation. 

    Key Initiatives taken to reduce Educational Deficiencies

    Global

    • Education was declared a "universal human right" in 1948
    • SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all" etc. 

    India

    • Right To Education Act 2009
    • Samagra Shiksha Programme, 2019
    • National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) 
    • Other: PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI), 2022, PM-POSHAN Scheme (earlier known as Mid-Day Meal Scheme) etc. 
    • Tags :
    • UNESCO
    • out of school
    Watch News Today
    Subscribe for Premium Features