Country studies on out-of-school children
These reports offer analytics and insights, such as enrolment trends, profiles of out-of-school children, econometric analysis, barriers to schooling, and contextualized policy recommendations
Country study findings are underpinned by quantitative data and are envisaged to stimulate education policy dialogue amongst stakeholders and strengthen evidence-informed and equity-focused education planning and programming.
We hope that these reports help governments and partners to better target and support the most vulnerable children for inclusive and equitable quality education.
National Study on the Situations of At-Risk and Out-of-School Children in Ethiopia
National Study on the Situations of At-Risk and Out-of-School Children in Ethiopia
Despite commendable progress on expanding school access at the pre-primary, primary, and secondary school levels, educational disparities and high out-of-school rates persist in the Ethiopian education sector. Moreover, recent developments such as the global COVID-19 pandemic and armed conflicts, inter-communal violence, and humanitarian crises in the regions of Tigray, Benishangul-Gumuz (Metekel Zone), Oromia (west Guji Zone), and SNNP (Konso Zone) have impeded efforts to expand educational access in Ethiopia. To understand the current challenges and barriers that are driving out-of-school rates, UNICEF Ethiopia, in partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education (MoE), contracted the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to provide consultancy services for a National Study on the Situations of Out-of-School Children (OSSC) in Ethiopia. The objectives of this study were to provide updates on the prevailing trends and profiles of out-of-school and at-risk primary and secondary students in Ethiopia, to highlight the factors that drive out-of-school rates, and to analyse the gaps in existing policies, strategies, and programmes that aim to improve school enrolment and retention. Ultimately, the study aims to help UNICEF, Ethiopia’s MoE, and other key stakeholders to more effectively address the barriers that keep children out of school. The findings of the study will also inform the implementation of the Education Sector Development Programme VI and the country’s 2020-2025 Country Programme Document.
Burundi Country Study 2021
Burundi Country Study 2021
The objective of this study was to enable the Ministry of National Education and Scientific Research to identify the bottlenecks and obstacles which not only prevent the schooling of children, but also the retention of children in basic education.
Analysis of Data on Out-of-School Children and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Madagascar
Analysis of Data on Out-of-School Children and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Madagascar
This study documents and analyzes the school exclusion of children of pre-primary to secondary school age in Madagascar, and of school children who are at risk of dropping out of school regardless of their age. This study is based on the use of the following available data sources: The third general population and housing census of 2018 (RGPH-3) The 2018 Multiple Indicator Cluster Household Survey (MICS) and Administrative data collected on an annual basis by the EMIS units of the various ministerial departments in charge of education The study is conducted following the guidelines of the conceptual framework and methodology of the Global Initiative for Out-of-School Children. It made it possible to estimate the proportions and numbers of out-of-school children and young adolescents, and children at risk of dropping out of school in Madagascar.
National Study on the Magnitude of Out-of-School Children in Ethiopia
National Study on the Magnitude of Out-of-School Children in Ethiopia
The Ethiopian education system has faced many challenges in achieving access to quality education for all. As a result of efforts made over the last two and a half decades, remarkable improvements have been made. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought further challenges, as school closures have increased the number of out-of-school children (OOSC). Unless extra efforts are made, the country may not achieve its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), to which Ethiopia is a signatory. It is a critical time to meet the needs of OOSC throughout the country, through the design of evidence-based education modalities. The Ministry of Education (MoE) of Ethiopia, with financial support from the Luminos Fund, has conducted a study on the status of OOSC. The study has been conducted in two phases. The first phase provides a quantitative analysis of the evidence on OOSC before the COVID-19 pandemic. The second phase analyzes qualitative evidence on the effect of COVID-19 on OOSC throughout the country.
Jordan Country Report on Out-of-School Children
Jordan Country Report on Out-of-School Children
This report is a joint product of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and UNICEF in Jordan, drawing on the framework of the Global Out-of-School Children Initiative. The research reveals notable sector achievements and challenges associated with vulnerable children who are out of school and at risk of dropping out countrywide. The analysis shows that the national out-of-school rate for primary-school aged children (6-11 years) has not increased since 2014. This is a remarkable achievement by the MOE and its sector partners, given that Jordan has welcomed over 660,000 Syrian refugees since 2011.However, it also shows that disparities by gender, geography and nationality remain persistent in access to basic education. A total of 112,016 children in Jordan are not attending Grades 1 to 10. More than 50,640 Syrians, 39,830 Jordanians and 21,530 children of other nationalities are estimated to be out of school. Nationally, out-of-school rates are higher for boys than for girls, with the exception of Jordanians in the 6-11 age group, where girls have a higher out-of-school rate than boys. The report offers a range of analytics and insights, such as enrolment trends, profiles of out-of-school children, econometric analysis, barriers to schooling, and contextualised policy recommendations. These findings, underpinned by quantitative data, are envisaged to stimulate education policy dialogue amongst stakeholders and strengthen evidence-informed and equity-focused education planning and programming. We hope that the report helps government and partners to better target and support the most vulnerable children for inclusive and equitable quality education.
Malaysia Country Study 2019
Malaysia Country Study 2019
This Report is part of the global Out-of-School Children Initiative (OOSCI), which is a joint initiative by UNICEF and UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). The initiative is aimed at providing support for countries in reducing or eliminating incidences of out-of-school children using pre-primary, primary and secondary school datasets as well as household survey and other data. The report compiles comprehensive profiles of excluded children in Sabah, the barriers keeping them from going to school, and recommendations to address this issue.
Cameroon Country Study 2018
Cameroon Country Study 2018
Developed within the framework of Cameroon-UNICEF cooperation, this study on out-of-school children and adolescents, the subject of this report, aims to contribute to a better understanding of the magnitude and extent of the phenomenon in Cameroon. This study is part of the Global Initiative for Out-of-School Children. Using administrative data and data from household surveys, the report produces convergent indicators that provide a precise picture of the situation both nationally and in the ten regions of the country.
State of Palestine Country Report on Out-of-School Children
State of Palestine Country Report on Out-of-School Children
In the State of Palestine, very few children of primary school age are excluded from education, but nearly five per cent of 10-15-year-old children and one out of three 6-9 year-olds with disabilities are out of school. The aim of this study is to identify who these excluded children are, where they live, and to understand why they are not in school. Based on a global initiative led by UNICEF and UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics, it aims at providing a more in-depth analysis, using a unique conceptual and methodological framework to develop comprehensive profiles of out-of-school children and link them to the barriers and bottlenecks that led to school drop-out. It takes into consideration a variety of factors such as socio-economic factors, the quality of education, and the influence of the environment, the community and the school. This study aims not only at understanding what barriers and bottlenecks prevent access to school, but also at taking action about it. Based on research findings, it proposes practical ways of removing these barriers to get children back to school, and to keep the children who are at risk of dropping out in school. By promoting and implementing sound policies that address exclusion, we can make a substantial and sustainable reduction in the number of out of school children. Keeping children in school or getting them back into school and learning safely is a collective effort, which must be brought to the forefront of policy makers’ agendas. UNICEF and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education hope that all relevant stakeholders will use the results and the practical recommendations of this study. It will help every child in the State of Palestine to fully realize their right to safe and quality education, to the benefit of all.
A Report on Out-of-School Children in Eswatini 2018
A Report on Out-of-School Children in Eswatini 2018
This report investigates the magnitude and the nature of the problem of out-of-school children in Eswatini, considering the pre-primary, primary, lower secondary and senior secondary phases. The objective is to identify and consolidate the main issues regarding out-of-school children to inform further systematic research into this issue in Eswatini, but also to consider other related issues in line with the UNICEF-UIS Global Initiative on Out-of-School Children. This report is based on an overview of the existing literature as well as analysis of available quantitative data sources.
South Sudan Country Study 2018
South Sudan Country Study 2018
In the wake of persistent fragility and conflict, at least 2.2 million school-aged children are estimated to be out of school with thousands more at risk of dropping out. The number of out-of-school children (OOSC) in South Sudan has increased in recent years and this trend is projected to continue, reaching over 2.4 million in the next two years, if present circumstances are maintained. Although the country has made efforts to increase access to education prior to the country’s conflict in 2013, barriers to education existed before the conflict including but not limited to extending access to remote areas, high levels of poverty, and socio-cultural dimensions, in which OOSC was a challenge before 2013. However, the challenges still exist in today’s landscape across geographies and education levels as well as new challenges brought about from the conflict. In terms of some of the challenges, girls are more likely than boys to be excluded from education in South Sudan – in some parts of the country, over 75 per cent of primary-aged girls are not in school. Children in rural areas and those displaced by conflict are also amongst the most educationally-disadvantaged in the country, but nearly all South Sudanese children fit into at least one of the at-risk profiles, including children who are overage for their grade level, child labourers, children with disabilities, and street children, with a danger that the current schooling crisis will become the status quo. This study analyses and uses available data to examine who and where these children are, unpacking the major barriers and bottlenecks that hinder school participation for so many children in South Sudan and mapping the existing policies and strategies that are in place to tackle these key issues. It culminates with a series of concrete, evidence-based recommendations for action aimed at enabling South Sudan’s large out-of-school population to enrol in – or return to – school.
Afghanistan Country Study 2018
Afghanistan Country Study 2018
The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has achieved enormous progress in the education sector since 2001. Educational access in terms of infrastructure and enrolment – in particular that of girls – has improved dramatically. However, this significant report estimates that as many as 3.2 million children in Afghanistan remain out of school, accounting for over 40 per cent of children in primary and lower secondary school age. Girls at all ages are less likely to attend school than boys. In addition, a further 300,000 children who currently access primary and lower secondary school are at risk of dropping out. We cannot achieve our Government’s ambitious plan for long-term prosperity in Afghanistan without continuing to prioritize programming that brings out-of-school children (OOSC) into the education system. This report represents a major step forward for stakeholders concerned with education provision in Afghanistan. The report establishes a baseline of the number and profiles of OOSC, outlines factors that contribute to unsatisfactory enrolment rates, and recommends practical policy options for overcoming barriers to education in Afghanistan. By better understanding our OOSC, the Ministry of Education (MoE) and its partners can better plan to achieve universal access to educational opportunities.
Out-of-School Boys and Girls in the Dominican Republic 2017
Out-of-School Boys and Girls in the Dominican Republic 2017
This study provides a methodology for exhaustive analysis of educational statistics, generating indicators that allow characterization of the situation of children who are out of school or are at risk of being out of school, based on five dimensions of exclusion. The analysis focuses on excluded girls and boys at the pre-primary grade, the primary level and the lower secondary level, across a wide range of disparities and different grades of exposure to education.