The 2026 Global Education Monitoring Report, Access and equity: Countdown to 2030, examines progress in education access and equity over the past 25 years, as well as the inequalities that continue to affect educational opportunities.
The report examines changes in participation in education while highlighting differences in access between learner groups.
Progress in access to education
Over the past decades, international commitments to education have expanded from universal access to primary education towards universal completion of primary and secondary education.
Participation in education has increased considerably over this period. However, progress in overall participation does not necessarily mean that different groups of learners experience the same levels of access.
The report therefore examines both participation in education and disparities between different groups.
Understanding inequalities in education
The report examines inequalities associated with factors such as sex, location, wealth, and disability.
Looking beyond overall participation helps to identify differences in access between groups of learners. The report also addresses the availability of data for monitoring these inequalities.
This provides a broader picture of progress in education, considering not only participation but also differences in access and educational opportunities.
From access to equity
The report examines policies and approaches used to address inequalities in education. These include measures that apply across education systems, as well as support directed towards disadvantaged learners.
The report also considers financing in relation to equity and the distribution of educational resources.
These areas form part of the report’s assessment of progress in access and equity and the challenges that remain as 2030 approaches.
Connections with STRIDE research
The issues addressed in the Global Education Monitoring Report also connect with STRIDE’s research on educational inequalities in Europe.
The 2026 Global Education Monitoring Report is referenced in STRIDE’s recent working paper on Overcoming Inequality in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), which examines early childhood education reforms across five European countries.
Recent STRIDE findings on ECEC also highlighted the importance of looking beyond access alone, considering how policies are implemented and how support reaches children and families who need it most. These findings were presented at the STRIDE consortium meeting in Budapest.
Both resources provide further insights into STRIDE’s work on access, equity and educational inequalities in the European context.
Access and equity in education policy
The 2026 Global Education Monitoring Report provides a global perspective on access and equity, while STRIDE examines these issues in the European context.
Together, these different perspectives draw attention to the importance of considering not only participation in education, but also the inequalities that continue to shape educational opportunities.
Read the 2026 Global Education Monitoring Report: Access and equity: Countdown to 2030
