Children out of school cause a global loss of US$10 trillion per year, a social and economic cost that quality education and Ramacrisna help to reverse.

Lack of access to education does not only cause individual harm. According to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), children out of school and educational gaps cost the global economy more than US$10 trillion per year. This loss exceeds, for example, the sum of the annual GDPs of countries such as France and Japan.

In other words, with 250 million children and young people out of school worldwide, the problem is not just social. It compromises economic development, poverty reduction, gender equality, and the ability of countries to address contemporary challenges. Even with decades of progress, we are still far from the commitment made by the United Nations in Sustainable Development Goal 4: to ensure quality education for all.

Given these figures, a question arises: how much does it cost the world to ignore this problem? And another even more important question: how can we change this reality?

The global cost of children out of school

For the first time, UNESCO has analyzed in detail the financial, social, and fiscal impact of school dropouts in the report The price of inaction. The result is striking: US$10 trillion in annual global losses associated with lack of access to education and learning gaps.

Among the consequences identified by the research are:

• Massive productivity losses, which directly affect economic growth;
• Reduced workforce skills, increasing inequalities;
• Profound social damage, such as a higher incidence of early pregnancy—girls with low levels of education are 69% more likely to become pregnant at an early age;
• Fewer employment and income opportunities, perpetuating cycles of poverty.

The report emphasizes that reducing the proportion of young people who drop out of school by just 10% would be enough to increase global GDP by between 1 and 2 percentage points per year. In other words, investing in education is one of the most efficient and profitable ways to transform societies.

Since 1948, education has been recognized as a universal human right. Yet millions of girls and boys remain excluded, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In many of these countries, 70% of 10-year-olds cannot understand a simple text, revealing literacy gaps that compromise their entire school career.

For this reason, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay stresses that breaking the cycle of school dropouts must be an absolute priority. In a meeting with education ministers, she emphasized that education is the key to addressing challenges ranging from poverty to climate change.

How can we combat the rise in numbers of children not attending school?

UNESCO has presented 10 recommendations to ensure quality education for all, including:

• Free, funded education for at least 12 years;
• Investment in early childhood;
• Second chance programs for those whose education has been interrupted;
• Safe school infrastructure, with water, sanitation, and smaller classrooms;
• Qualified and valued teachers;
• Involvement of communities and families in the educational process.

But this challenge does not fall solely on governments. The third sector is a strategic ally in school retention—and this is where the Ramacrisna Institute stands out.

Ramacrisna: a driving force for transformation in education

In Betim, the Ramacrisna Institute has been working for 66 years to ensure that children and adolescents stay in school and have access to expanded learning opportunities.

The Ramacrisna Educational Support Center (CAER) offers after-school activities, including workshops on art, culture, sports, technology, and cognitive development. Among the tools available are the digital literacy table, which accelerates literacy through interactive blocks, games, and educational software, and the digital whiteboard, which makes learning Portuguese and mathematics more dynamic and accessible.

In addition, children participate in judo and chess activities, promoting well-being and social-emotional skills. Students also receive lunch, snacks, clothing, and school supplies.

Fablab Ramacrisna (Fabrication Laboratory) is an innovation laboratory created to stimulate creativity and knowledge through practice, transforming ideas into reality. Students have access to 3D printers, virtual reality glasses, a CNC laser cutting router, tablets, computers, and Lego kits for practicing educational robotics.

Finally, children have access to one of the largest libraries in the region, with more than 9,000 books in its collection.

These actions not only improve school performance, but also strengthen self-esteem, reduce child labor, and help break cycles of vulnerability.

Ensuring access to school is not just a goal, it is a global urgency. Ramacrisna proves daily that education changes lives, strengthens communities, and builds a more just and promising future.

Learn about our projects and be part of this transformation. Together, we can reduce the number of children out of school and build a better world.