The number of children and young people out of school worldwide has climbed to 273 million, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has said.
UNESCO, in the 2026 Global Education Monitoring Report released on Wednesday, stated that the number of out-of-school children and young people has risen for the seventh consecutive year.
The report finds that one in six school-age children are excluded from education, while only two in three complete secondary school.
Progress has also slowed across most regions since 2015, with conflict and population growth identified as major drivers.
“Progress in keeping children in school has slowed across almost every region,” the report noted, with sub-Saharan Africa particularly affected.
In conflict zones, the situation is even more acute, with millions more children out of school than official figures capture.
Despite these setbacks, UNESCO highlighted significant gains over the past two decades.
Global enrolment has risen sharply, with “more than 25 additional children accessing school every minute” since 2000.
The report also found that some countries have made remarkable progress, reducing out-of-school rates and expanding access to all levels of education.
However, the report cautioned that no single policy can tackle exclusion.
It urged tailored approaches and sustained investment to ensure all children can learn.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has received 13-year-old International STEM Olympiad champion, Chimdiebube Onwubiko Victor, following his gold medal performance in Mathematics and silver medal finish in Science at the 2026 International STEM Olympiad in Rome, Italy.
Chimdiebube Onwubiko Victor. Photo credit: Peter Mbah
Mbah announced this in a statement shared on his social media accounts on Tuesday, describing the teenager’s achievement as a proud moment for Enugu State and Nigeria.
“Yesterday, I welcomed Chimdiebube Onwubiko, our brilliant 13-year-old International STEM Olympiad champion, to the Lion Building after his remarkable performance in Rome, where he emerged with a Gold Medal in Mathematics and a Silver Medal in Science,” the governor said.
He added, “Chimdiebube’s achievement is a proud moment for Enugu and a reflection of the power of discipline, dedication, and quality education.”
Mbah also commended the student’s Mathematics teacher, Chisom Unachukwu, and Evergreen Schools for nurturing the young champion.
“I commend him, his Mathematics teacher, Chisom Unachukwu, and Evergreen Schools for their commitment to excellence and for proving that Enugu’s young talents can compete and excel on the global stage,” he said.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving education through its Smart Green Schools initiative.
“As we continue to transform education through the Smart Green Schools initiative, we remain committed to creating opportunities for every child in Enugu to discover their potential and become champions in their chosen fields,” Mbah stated.
Chimdiebube was among three Nigerian students who excelled at the 2026 International STEM Olympiad Grand Finale held in Rome, Italy, from July 2 to 8. The competition attracted participants from more than 150 countries.
The 13-year-old won gold in Junior Mathematics and silver in Science, while Don Anele Munachimso Marvelous claimed double gold in Mathematics and Science and was named the World’s Best in Science. Eleven-year-old Egejurum Onyedikachi Ethan also won gold in Mathematics and emerged the World’s Best in Primary Mathematics.
Team Nigeria has won the Gold Award in the Middle School Group Category at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup in Shanghai, China.
The achievement was announced by the Nigeria Spelling Bee on its official Facebook page on Sunday.
The organisation wrote, “Team Nigeria has won the Gold Award in the Middle School Group Category at the Spelling Bee World Cup in Shanghai, China.”
Also confirming the feat on Sunday, Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin, announced that two of its students, Maryam Yusuf and Abdurrahman Yusuf, won medals at the global competition.
Maryam Yusuf won medals at Spelling Bee World Cup final in Shanghai, China 2026…Photo Credit: Ar-Raheem International College
The school wrote on its Facebook page, “Ar-Raheem International College students Maryam YUSUF and Abdurrahman YUSUF won medals at Spelling Bee World Cup final in Shanghai, China 2026.”
PUNCH Online had earlier reported that Team Nigeria was making its first-ever appearance at the Spelling Bee World Cup after qualifying through the Nigeria Spelling Bee and the African Spelling Bee Championship.
Abdurrahman Yusuf won medals at Spelling Bee World Cup final in Shanghai, China 2026…Photo Credit: Ar-Raheem International College
The four-member team comprised 2026 African Spelling Bee Junior champion, Oluwadamilola Adeolu of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado-Ekiti; Abdurrahman Yusuf of Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin; Chinedu Okediachi of Madonna International Schools, Asaba; and Maryam Yusuf of Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin.
Maryam Yusuf and Abdurrahman Yusuf won medals at Spelling Bee World Cup final in Shanghai, China 2026…Photo Credit: Ar-Raheem International College
Announcing Nigeria’s historic participation before the tournament, the Nigeria Spelling Bee had said, “For the first time ever, Nigeria will be represented at the Spelling Bee World Cup, as four outstanding young spellers prepare to compete in Shanghai, China, from 10th–20th July 2026.
“Their journey has been one of excellence and determination—beginning with the Nigeria Spelling Bee, progressing to the African Spelling Bee Championship in Harare, Zimbabwe, and now advancing to the world stage.”
Team Nigeria wins Gold at the World Cup Spelling Bee in China…Photo Credit: Nigeria Spelling Bee
The organisers also noted that the students were representing not only Nigeria but the African continent.
“As they compete against the world’s finest young spellers, they carry with them the hopes of a nation and the pride of an entire continent. Join us in wishing Team Nigeria a successful outing as they make history at the Spelling Bee World Cup 2026. Go Team Nigeria!” the statement added.
Team Nigeria wins Gold at the World Cup Spelling Bee in China…Photo Credit: Nigeria Spelling Bee
Ahead of the competition, Adeolu had expressed excitement about competing on the global stage.
“I am proud to be part of the Nigerian Spelling Bee and African Spelling Bee delegation travelling to the Spelling Bee World Cup in Shanghai, China, to represent Nigeria,” she had said.
Team Nigeria wins Gold at the World Cup Spelling Bee in China…Photo Credit: Nigeria Spelling Bee
She added, “I am looking forward to the competition itself, meeting new spellers across the world, boosting my vocabulary and confidence on the global stage and also raising the trophy and bringing it back home.”
PUNCH Online also reported that Adeolu qualified for the World Cup after emerging champion of the Junior category at the African Spelling Bee Championship in Harare, Zimbabwe, where she outperformed contestants from more than 30 African countries.
At the continental competition, Abdurrahman Yusuf finished third, while Nigeria emerged the second-best overall team, further strengthening the country’s growing reputation in international spelling competitions.
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Dr Muhammed Aminu Muhammed, has declared that technical education remains Nigeria’s strongest pathway to employment, entrepreneurship and national economic growth.
Speaking during an inspection of the 2026 May/June NABTEB examinations at the Federal Technical College, Awka, Anambra State capital, Muhammed said the future of Nigeria depends on equipping young people with practical skills that will enable them to create jobs.
His visit to the Awka centre is part of a nationwide monitoring exercise covering examination centres across Nigeria.
He said, “Technical education remains the Nigeria’s strongest pathway to employment, entrepreneurship and national economic growth.
“The future of Nigeria depends on equipping young people with practical skills that will enable them to create jobs rather than wait endlessly for white-collar jobs.
“Effective leadership within a school naturally reflects in students’ performance and the quality of teaching and learning.”
Muhammed disclosed that more than 167,000 candidates are sitting for this year’s examinations nationwide, while 226 candidates are taking their papers at the Federal Technical College, Awka.
During the exercise, the NABTEB Registrar inspected the Physics practical examination, monitored the organisation of candidates, interacted with officials supervising the exercise and assessed the overall conduct of the examination.
He expressed satisfaction with what he witnessed at the Awka centre, describing it as one of the most organised technical colleges visited during his nationwide assessment tour.
He commended the way the practical examination was organised, noting that candidates were carefully grouped to ensure the exercise ran smoothly despite the large number of students involved.
Reflecting on the nationwide exercise, Muhammed said this year’s examinations have shown remarkable improvement over those conducted in 2025.
He attributed the progress to stronger supervision by school principals, better coordination by NABTEB officials and increased support from security agencies working to safeguard the examination process.
“In every area, this year’s examination is better than last year’s,” he added.
The Registrar stressed that the practical component of NABTEB examinations remains central to the Board’s mission of producing graduates with employable skills that can transform their lives and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economy.
He maintained that expanding technical education is essential if Nigeria hopes to reduce unemployment, empower young people and build a more productive economy.
