"Debt Over Education: UN Report Reveals Alarming Trend in 113 Countries A disturbing new report from UNESCO has shed light on a concerning global trend, where millions of children are being left behind due to the overwhelming burden of debt repayment in developing countries. According to the research, 113 countries spent more on servicing foreign loans than on education in 2025, with a staggering 18 countries allocating a staggering five times more funds towards debt repayment than towards educating their children. This trend is particularly pronounced in sub-Saharan Africa, where countries spent 3.6 times more on debt than on education, leaving a generation of young people without access to the education they need to break the cycle of poverty. As global aid to education is predicted to decline by up to 30%, the implications for these countries and their children are dire."
Unesco report shows children lost out to servicing debt in 113 countries, with 18 spending five times more on loansMost developing countries spent less on education than they did repaying debt last year, according to the UN, at the same time as global aid to education is predicted to decline by up to 30%.More was spent on servicing foreign debt than on education in 113 developing countries in 2025, according to research by the UN’s culture and education agency, Unesco. In sub-Saharan Africa, countries spent 3.6 times more on debt than education. Continue reading...
