Foreign Aid Cuts Threatening African Education

2026-03-11

The Scale of the Crisis

International aid to education is projected to fall by $3.2 billion by 2026 — a 24% drop — which would push the number of out-of-school children worldwide from 272 million to 278 million. That's the equivalent of emptying every primary school in Germany and Italy combined. Of the 6 million children who could lose access to education, 30% are growing up in fragile humanitarian settings facing threats like armed conflict, natural disasters, displacement, and famine.

Who is Responsible for the Cuts?

Just three donor governments — the United States, Germany, and France — account for nearly 80% of the cuts. In total, 28 countries stand to lose at least a quarter of the education aid they rely on.

Hardest Hit African Countries

Among the countries facing the steepest setback, Côte d'Ivoire and Mali both risk losing 4% of current enrolment, translating to 340,000 and 180,000 students respectively.

Funding for education in emergencies is projected to drop by $745 million — equivalent to at least 10% of the national education budget in crisis-hit countries like Somalia and the Central African Republic. Cuts mean classrooms shuttered, teachers unpaid, and children left without the stability and protection that school provides.

Climate Crisis Making It Worse

The climate crisis — with floods displacing millions and destroying schools across West Africa — is compounding the education emergency. Heatwaves, floods, and storms are pushing children out of classrooms, yet many countries lack strong education-continuity plans.

Even Children Who Stay in School Are Affected

With reduced support for system strengthening — such as curriculum development, learning assessment, and teacher development — at least 290 million students could experience a decline in the quality of their education almost overnight. Many skilled teachers are being lost due to funding declines, and even if funds are restored later, this brain drain cannot be quickly reversed.

Beyond Classrooms — Hidden Consequences

School feeding programmes — sometimes a child's only reliable meal — could see funding halved, while support for girls' education is likely to shrink significantly. UNICEF warns this could cost the children affected an estimated $164 billion in lost lifetime earnings.

Mozambique — A Case Study

In Eastern and Southern Africa, emergency funding could fall by more than 40%. For Mozambique specifically, this means fewer vaccines, less clean water, less treatment for malnourished children, and disrupted learning for the most vulnerable — all while the country already faces conflict, displacement, and climate shocks.

What UNICEF is Calling For

UNICEF urges donor countries to direct at least 50% of all education aid to least developed countries, safeguard humanitarian education funding, focus on early childhood and primary education where returns are highest, and expand innovative financing without replacing core funding.

Key Quote

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated: "Every dollar cut from education is not just a budgetary decision, it's a child's future hanging in the balance. Investing in children's education is one of the best investments in the future — for everyone."