Equity

Key message

An equitable education system is the foundation for a peaceful, productive and fair society.

Prioritising investment in education for those most often excluded — those who are poor, disabled, female, rural, nomadic, from minority ethnic groups, and living in conflict — provides the greatest social and economic returns.

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Key challenges

The benefits of education for all will not be fully realised without quality education for all. Great inequities exist in learning and the quality of education provided — even for children with a primary education — with learning outcomes often the lowest for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. In low- and middle-income countries, only 18 of the poorest youth complete secondary school for every 100 of the richest youth. In at least 20 countries, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, hardly any poor rural young women complete secondary school.
(GEM, 2020) (UNICEF, 2015)
Providing equitable education opportunities starts with more equitable education financing. Equitable distribution of resources can influence the outcomes of students; countries and economies with fewer shortages of material resources generally show better academic outcomes. OECD PISA 2018 results show that shortage of material resources was negatively correlated to mean performance in reading, mathematics and science.
(OECD, 2023)
Great disparities in education exist between the rich and the poor, and those living in rural and urban areas. A 34% gap in attendance rates for children ages 3-5 exists between the richest and poorest quintiles, and a 16% gap between urban and rural areas according to a study of 61 low- and middle-income countries.
(GEM, 2021)
Even when children are in school, many are not learning, with the poorest and most marginalised bearing the brunt of the learning crisis. Globally, 617 million children are unable to meet minimum proficiency in maths and reading, though a full two-thirds are in school.
(UNICEF, 2022)
Differences in access to remote learning opportunities during the pandemic were extreme. Just 6% of students in Africa would have been able to attend classes online, whereas online platforms were used in 96% of high-income countries.
(UNESCO et al., 2021) (GEM, 2021)
Inequities present during COVID-19 are being carried over to pandemic recovery. Incentives to help girls or those from poor families return to school such as cash, food, transport or fee waivers, are being provided by just one in four countries.
(UNESCO et al., 2021)
Migrants face particular challenges in accessing education. Despite international legal commitments to the right to education of migrants, at the national level migrants face many legal, administrative and practical barriers to the enjoyment of this right. These include school closures, discriminatory laws, lack of information, inaccessible school materials and school fees.
(Right to Education Initiative, 2018)

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The benefits of education for all will not be fully realised without quality education for all.
Great inequities exist in learning and the quality of education provided — even for children with a primary education — with learning outcomes often the lowest for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. In low- and middle-income countries, only 18 of the poorest youth complete secondary school for every 100 of the richest youth. In at least 20 countries, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, hardly any poor rural young women complete secondary school.
Sources: (GEM, 2020) (UNICEF, 2015)

Providing equitable education opportunities starts with more equitable education financing.
Equitable distribution of resources can influence the outcomes of students; countries and economies with fewer shortages of material resources generally show better academic outcomes. OECD PISA 2018 results show that shortage of material resources was negatively correlated to mean performance in reading, mathematics and science.
Source: (OECD, 2023)

Great disparities in education exist between the rich and the poor, and those living in rural and urban areas.
A 34% gap in attendance rates for children ages 3-5 exists between the richest and poorest quintiles, and a 16% gap between urban and rural areas according to a study of 61 low- and middle-income countries.
Source: (GEM, 2021)

Even when children are in school, many are not learning, with the poorest and most marginalised bearing the brunt of the learning crisis.
Globally, 617 million children are unable to meet minimum proficiency in maths and reading, though a full two-thirds are in school.
Source: (UNICEF, 2022)

Differences in access to remote learning opportunities during the pandemic were extreme.
Just 6% of students in Africa would have been able to attend classes online, whereas online platforms were used in 96% of high-income countries.
Sources: (UNESCO et al., 2021) (GEM, 2021)

Inequities present during COVID-19 are being carried over to pandemic recovery.
Incentives to help girls or those from poor families return to school such as cash, food, transport or fee waivers, are being provided by just one in four countries.
Source: (UNESCO et al., 2021)

Migrants face particular challenges in accessing education.
Despite international legal commitments to the right to education of migrants, at the national level migrants face many legal, administrative and practical barriers to the enjoyment of this right. These include school closures, discriminatory laws, lack of information, inaccessible school materials and school fees.
Source: (Right to Education Initiative, 2018)

Make the case

Prioritising education for the most marginalised provides the highest returns. Financing primary and early childhood education, and the education of the poorest, the disabled, and those with social disadvantages, is the quickest route to achieving equity, with the greatest potential social dividends.
(Education Commission, 2016)
Investments in early childhood education promote equity. Creating a level playing field from the beginning improves the chances for a fair start in life, reaping benefits to nutrition and health, cognitive development, and school achievement.
(GBC-Education, 2018) (Black & Dewey, 2014) (Nonoyama-Tarumi et al., 2009)
Investing in the most disadvantaged generates the greatest impact. In Ghana, building nurseries for the poorest children in the poorest districts had an impact on primary completion four times that of providing nurseries to the general population.
(UNICEF, 2016)
Providing equitable education is an important driver of national economic growth. Universal secondary education among young adults aged 15-24 years in low to middle income countries could boost annual gross national income (GNI) by $8.1 trillion, which represents an estimated 11.5% growth.
(Population Council, 2023)
Education reduces inequality. Using data for 114 countries from 1985 to 2005, one extra year of education is associated with a Gini coefficient reduction of 1.4 per cent.
(UNICEF, 2015)

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Prioritising education for the most marginalised provides the highest returns.
Financing primary and early childhood education, and the education of the poorest, the disabled, and those with social disadvantages, is the quickest route to achieving equity, with the greatest potential social dividends.
Source: (Education Commission, 2016)

Investments in early childhood education promote equity.
Creating a level playing field from the beginning improves the chances for a fair start in life, reaping benefits to nutrition and health, cognitive development, and school achievement.
Sources: (GBC-Education, 2018) (Black & Dewey, 2014) (Nonoyama-Tarumi et al., 2009)

Investing in the most disadvantaged generates the greatest impact.
In Ghana, building nurseries for the poorest children in the poorest districts had an impact on primary completion four times that of providing nurseries to the general population.
Source: (UNICEF, 2016)

Providing equitable education is an important driver of national economic growth.
Universal secondary education among young adults aged 15-24 years in low to middle income countries could boost annual gross national income (GNI) by $8.1 trillion, which represents an estimated 11.5% growth.
Source: (Population Council, 2023)

Education reduces inequality.
Using data for 114 countries from 1985 to 2005, one extra year of education is associated with a Gini coefficient reduction of 1.4 per cent.
Source: (UNICEF, 2015)

Key opinions

Luis Benveniste

Global Director for Education at the World Bank

Learning for everyone, everywhere means ensuring that the most vulnerable can access education and learn, in a safe and inclusive environment. In situations of fragility, conflict and violence, we must protect those impacted and recognize education’s part in promoting stability. There have also been remarkable leaps in equitable access to education for boys and girls, but gaps remain. We must further translate girls’ gains in education to successful labour market outcomes for women.

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Guy Ryder

Under-Secretary-General for Policy at the United Nations

Education and training are the keys to unlock opportunities for women and men to gain employment, launch businesses and create better lives for themselves and their families. As we work to build a better and more resilient future after the COVID-19 pandemic, we must ensure quality education systems that are accessible to all.

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Key talking points

Education can create more equitable societies, if investments provide opportunities to the poorest and most marginalised.
Education has a tremendous power to equalise the playing field early in life and helps reduce inequalities between income groups and for minority populations.
The Education Commission recommended that when balancing spending across levels of education and population groups, decision-makers should prioritise spending for equity and public returns.

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Similar Themes

Inclusion and Disability