The west African region surmounts one-third of the total global primary school-aged children and about one-fifth of lower secondary-age children currently out of school. Children and adolescents who are caught up in humanitarian emergencies are particularly vulnerable to missing out on schooling or completely dropping out of school.
This region also falls behind in gender equality education: analysis shows that there are only nine girls for every ten boys enrolled in primary school. These differences grow wider as children advance through the school system.
Many of these children don’t get the best start in life, one in four children in these regions has access to early childhood learning, care, and stimulation. This means that they start at a disadvantage, not ready to tackle the demands of basic primary education.
Another challenge is the quality of education. Pupils who complete basic education face a low chance of getting high-quality learning. This is despite the need for quality education to help prepare children with the adequate skills, knowledge, values, and attitudes required for success in the 21st century.