Refugee School Enrollment Stalled in 2025
Nearly 6 million refugee children remained out of school worldwide in 2025 as secondary enrollment gaps persisted.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Distance Learning
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Should wealthy nations prioritize increasing humanitarian funding for global refugee education programs?
In 2025, 44% of the world's 13.1 million school-age refugee children were out of the classroom. While higher education access improved, millions of young refugees faced barriers to primary and secondary schooling.
Why it matters
Cuts to humanitarian and development funding threaten to halt recent progress in refugee education. Protecting access to schools is essential to mitigating long-term risks such as poverty and early marriage among displaced youth.
In 2025, primary enrollment reached 65% while secondary enrollment stood at 32%. More than 450,000 refugees entered higher education for the first time in 2025, marking an annual growth to 11% from 9% the previous year.
The players
UNHCR
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is a global organization dedicated to protecting the rights and well-being of displaced people and is headquartered in Geneva.
The details
Enrollment rates remain relatively stable at the primary level for both boys and girls, but the gender gap widens significantly at the secondary level. Protection risks, systemic poverty, and early marriage are primary drivers for the high dropout rates seen among adolescent girls.
Timeline
Refugee enrollment in higher education reached 9% in 2024.
Nearly 6 million refugee children were out of school globally in 2025.
Culture Shift
The 2025 data reflects a broader shift toward prioritizing inclusive digital and remote learning environments for displaced populations. This trajectory aligns with the objectives of the UNHCR Global Education Strategy, which seeks to integrate refugees into national education systems.
For those involved in international outreach, understanding these enrollment gaps highlights the urgent need for support in secondary education and specialized protection programs for adolescent girls. These statistics underscore how funding levels directly dictate the availability of school supplies and classroom space for displaced children.
The takeaway
Closing the secondary education gap for refugees requires targeted interventions that address the specific social and financial barriers facing adolescent girls. Sustaining progress in higher education participation hinges on maintaining consistent humanitarian funding levels.
Further reading
Explore more about global accessibility in Distance Learning.
Live Poll
Should wealthy nations prioritize increasing humanitarian funding for global refugee education programs?
