Free Education for all Children

Education is a fundamental right for all children and one of the best investments that societies can make. It has the power to transform lives, lift individuals out of poverty, and foster social and economic development. Yet for millions of children around the world, the cost of schooling remains one of the most significant barriers to education, particularly at the pre-primary and secondary level.

Existing international law guarantees free education for all children at the primary level. A proposed new treaty would strengthen international law to explicitly guarantee free public pre-primary education and secondary education to all.

Background

STRENGTHENING THE RIGHT TO FREE EDUCATION

The Issue  

  • For millions of children around the world, the cost of schooling remains one of the most significant barriers to education, particularly at the pre-primary and secondary level.
  • Approximately 88 percent of children worldwide complete primary school; but less than 60 percent complete secondary school and nearly half of all children miss out on early childhood education.
  • Existing international law guarantees children free and compulsory primary education, but the Convention on the Rights of the Child says nothing explicit about early childhood education and does not oblige states to guarantee every child free secondary education.

The Goal  

States Publicly Supportive to Date  

Why this is possible  

The Benefit for Children  

What’s Next  

Support Statements  


OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

In July 2024, the United Nations Human Rights Council agreed by consensus to begin a process to explore and elaborate an optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child with the aim to explicitly recognize that the right to education includes early childhood care and education, and to guarantee free public pre-primary education (beginning with one year) and free public secondary education for all children. The resolution was advanced by Luxembourg, the Dominican Republic, and Sierra Leone, and co-sponsored by 46 other states from all regions of the world. 

READ MORE: Q&A exploring common questions about the proposed protocol

READ MORE: FREE EDUCATION TREATY BRIEFING BOOKLET


    Timeline of Progress

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