India, March 27 -- In 2024, 273 million children, adolescents and youth were out of school, and this excludes an estimated 13 million more in 10 of the countries most affected by conflict, according to a new report.

The report, "2026 GEM report - Access and equity: Countdown to 2030", published by UNESCO highlights that one in six children of school age worldwide are excluded from education, and only two in three students complete secondary school.

This reality is particularly urgent in West Asia today, where ongoing regional tensions have forced many schools to close, leaving millions of children out of the classroom and at heightened risk of falling behind.

The analysis provides a timely assessment of the world's progress toward achi...