South Asia facing 'learning crisis': UNICEF

Press Trust of India  |  Kathmandu 

There is a "learning crisis" in where only about half of the primary-aged children are receiving with minimum standards, the UN's Children's Fund warned today.

Nepal's Constitution guarantees right to to every child, Oli said.

for said: "While impressive strides have been made in achieving universal primary education, we have a learning crisis in with only about half of primary-aged children receiving with minimum learning standards.

"We need much greater investment and increased quality education for girls and boys alike if we hope to see the next generation reach their full potential".

has joined hands with the and working with governments and partners to accelerate progress in education and increase financing for the sector giving priority to children at risk of being excluded from learning, Gough said.

"There is no better path to stronger economies more peaceful countries than investment in every child's right to education," said Henrietta H Fore, Executive Director, UNICEF.

A report, 'The Learning Generation: Investing in Education for a Changing World', was released by the Commission in 2016.

If the ever-worsening learning crisis left unaddressed, it will lead half of the world's 1.6 billion children and youths out of school or failing to learn by 2030, the report has warned.

The conference is being attended by some 75 participants including government officials, educational experts, development partners and leaders from eight countries -- India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and

South Asia is currently home to more than 10 million out-of-school children, who should be able to attend primary level and 20 million out-of-school children at secondary level, according to a statement by UNICEF.

The International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity, also known as the Education Commission, was set up in 2015 to reinvigorate the case for investing in education and to chart a pathway for increased investment in order to develop the potential of all of the world's young people.

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First Published: Mon, May 07 2018. 17:25 IST