International support helps many countries pay for teachers, learning materials and safe classrooms. UNICEF warned in 2025 that expected funding cuts could push six million additional children out of school by late 2026. Its analysis projected a reduction of about 3.2 billion US dollars compared with 2023 support. Children living through emergencies may face some of the sharpest effects.
A smaller budget can create a chain of disruption. Education centres may close, teacher development may weaken and learning quality can fall. Families may also receive less support to keep children enrolled. The impact is not measured only by attendance. Interrupted learning can weaken future skills and make existing inequality harder to reverse. UNICEF urged donors to protect humanitarian education and focus support on foundational learning. It also called for at least half of education aid to reach the least developed countries.